Star Trek Phoenix
by Kendoka Girl
Summary: This is the ongoing adventure of Claire, a smart misfit in Starfleet during the time of the Next Generation. This is an older story and I think I've improved since then.
1. The Class of 2364

12 MAY 05 - Hiya, this story is being entirely reworked to bring it into the NG era. I also worked out some grammatical kinks since I originallywrote this in college. Yes, I did fence and I wasn't too bad.

**THE CLASS OF 2364**

**SUMMER 2364: STARFLEET ACADEMY, GRADUATION MINUS 14 DAYS.**

The Cadet Lounge was a place to gather when not studying for the rigorous tests that cadets faced throughout their time at the Academy. It was located on the second floor of the main learning center and provided a number of leisure activities. The lounge was usually the domain of the upper classmen and today was no exception. As classes wound down to final examination day, the lounge became a veritable beehive of activity. Just before lunch, four classmates had gathered to enjoy a lively competition.

One of the four, Midshipman First Class Claire McGregor held the glossy cue ball in her right hand with an evil smile. She and her buddy were up twelve to seven in an intense game of crud at the shuttle lounge. The game was an ongoing tradition among aviators since the time of air-breathing craft back in the 20th century. It was a brutal, yet graceful, form of full-contact billiards. Claire's partner, Josh Goldman, stood at the other end of the green table. Their opponents waited nervously for Claire to serve. Just as she was about to hurl the cue ball down the green toward the awaiting eight ball, a voice rang out, "Attention on deck."

The four midshipmen shot to attention as their Staff Counselor entered the room. Lieutenant Commander Olaf Snurre eyed the rigid cadets. "Hmmm. Playing around, I see? Have you forgotten your finals in three days? Do you think you are ready? Do you think you are ready to graduate and serve Starfleet?"

"Yes sir!" responded the cadets in unison.

"Alright…what is the main armament of a Class Two orbital battery?" barked Lieutenant Commander Snurre.

Cadet Goldman answered, "A Mark Four disrupter and two point defense phasers."

Snurre nodded. "Who is in charge of the search and rescue party?"

Cadet McGregor chimed in, "The Chief Security Officer."

Snurre nodded again with a scowl. "Don't get too cocky. There's a whole other world out there." With that, he turned and stomped out.

It was the duty of the Staff Counselor to follow the cadets and assist them in both personal and professional development. After all, Starfleet had invested an enormous amount of resources into training its cadets. The six foot four, heavily muscled LT CDR Snurre had been assigned to Class 2364 for one year. He was a hard taskmaster and drove the cadets relentlessly. The former Chief of Security for the USS NELSON had a jagged scar down his cheek from a scrape with a Klingon seven years ago. The Klingon came out the worse. Snurre chose not to have the injury repaired and kept the scar as a badge of honor. He liked to call the incident his 'Schlager Duel' after the German sabre duels of the 19th century. His chiseled features and graying blond hair gave him a hard, unyielding appearance. Snurre was also an acknowledged weapons master, and few in the Federation could match him. His few close friends called him "Jarl" after the Viking war chiefs. Despite his granite exterior, he had gone way out on a limb for Claire and she would never forget that.

There was a collective sigh of relief from the cadets as Snurre departed. The lanky Cadet Goldman whispered to Cadet McGregor, "I'll be glad when he's out of my hair." Claire shrugged. Although Snurre could be tough, bordering on abusive, he was a man to be respected. When the tension had cleared, the ever-competitive Claire returned to the billiard table to defeat her foolish challengers.

Not yet 22, Claire was a statuesque brunette who was well known at the Academy as a fierce competitor. She was very physical and excelled at sports and personal combat. Her skill and grace could easily overcome most opponents, even the males. Working out was her way of relieving stress from the intense environment of the Academy and she did so nearly every day. Her strikingly good looks made her the dating target of many a cadet, but she was still on the rebound and had rebuffed many suitors. In fact, many had considered her aloof and she had only a few close friends. Even her many acquaintances would describe her as "hard to get close to." On the lighter side, Claire could be quite a prankster, however. Many at the Academy had fallen prey to her inventiveness. Of course, it always went both ways.

GRADUATION MINUS 11 DAYS - FINALS 

Cadet McGregor worked furiously at her terminal. The final examination was long and demanding. She had just finished the four Security Conditions and had skipped Warp Engine Efficiency Factors: This wasn't her best subject. She flipped through the screens until she got to Shuttle Operations. Ahh, something she knew well.

Claire glanced quickly around the room at the perspiring cadets. Josh was a bright guy: he wouldn't have any problems. Parkas Shar, a tough Andorian, disliked social science. They would meet again in the upcoming fencing final. Claire had defeated the heavily favored Shar for the captaincy of the female fencing cadet team at the beginning of their third year and Shar was itching for an upset. Claire pondered the upcoming match briefly before returning to work: navigational deflectors, yuck.

Four agonizing hours later, Cadet McGregor signed off from her terminal and let out a noticeable sigh of relief. She was tense and nervous about her performance on the final. Although she was smart, she was never one of the top academic performers. That honor went to cadets like S'ran of Vulcan and Mtyrre of Epsilon Indii. Half the class still remained, sweating it out until the proctor instructed the cadets to turn off their terminals. By then, Claire had hit the gym for a hard run. She knew she had passed, but how well she did was the question.

GRADUATION MINUS 9 DAYS – ACADEMY GYMNASIUM 

The ring of steel sang throughout the gymnasium. The Academy Open Fencing Tournament was about to begin. Claire had just registered and moved to her corner with her team. Shar was already suited up in the snug white outfit, and was performing warm-up exercises. Her mask was specially designed to enclose her antennae. The blue-skinned Shar smirked at Claire; her day was here. Andorians were a proud, warrior race, and living in Claire's shadow for two years made her determined to triumph today. Both cadets would be competing in the sabre event, their specialty.

Claire brought out her weapons and tested them. The sabers were electrified to score touches by the fencers for scoring purposes. She then tied her raven hair back into a ponytail with a squeegee band, donned her plastron and jacket and began warming up with a teammate. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Snurre enter the gym with a fencing bag. Her blood ran cold. Sure enough, he registered and tested his mask and sabre. He then went to change in the locker room. Stepping off of the piste, Claire removed her mask and shot a glance to Shar. She too, had seen Snurre. This would be a different tournament then they thought.

Shar was called to the strip by the director. She stood five foot eleven, two inches taller than Claire, and was powerfully built. The Andorian was a master with the Sabre and Epee, but was deadly with any bladed weapon. As with most Andorians, Shar was slender and had the characteristic blue skin and antennae. Her silver eyes were always intense, reflecting her personality. Claire watched Shar devour her first two opponents, 5-2 and 5-1. She was on a roll. Claire's turn to fence would be next as the director summoned her to the strip for her bout.

The first round pool was a breeze and Claire easily advanced to the next round. The seeding tree showed that Shar and Snurre had also advanced. For all, the next two rounds were increasingly difficult as the superior fencers advanced, leaving the amateurs behind. It was now time for the quarterfinals.

Claire had drawn Tino Rialto, the dashing cadet from Rome. He was fast and at six foot three, had a wicked reach. Claire fenced him aggressively, closing the distance and nullifying his long reach. Rialto fell 10-7 in a swift match. As expected, Shar and Snurre advanced as well. Now was the moment of truth; Snurre had drawn Octavio Klinen, a stocky Cygnan, while Claire was pitted against Shar.

Claire sipped a bit of StarAide tm and sopped up perspiration from her face. She knew Shar was chomping at the bit for this opportunity. Maybe that was the key to victory; play a defensive game. The tuxedoed director gave the one-minute call; the game was afoot.

Shar stepped onto the piste carrying her custom made mask. Her duralloy sabre gleamed in the overhead lights. Claire followed suit. She could feel the sweat beading in her doeskin glove. The director called, "Salut," and the opponents raised their weapons above their heads, brought them to their faces, and then swept them to the ground. The black mesh masks were donned and the engarde position taken. "Etês vous prêt?" called the director in French. Nods were given.

"Allez!"

Shar immediately assumed the offense and bounded down the strip. A quick feint to the head with an attack to the flank put her up 1-0. "Attaque… touché!" called the director as Claire shook her head, upset at falling for the feint.

She thought to herself, _Forget about it_. _The only important touch is the next one_.

The fencers returned to their engarde lines. Upon the cue, Shar leapt out at Claire using a fleche. Claire picked up Shar's blade with a circular parry and smacked Shar across the belly with a cut. "Attaque… parry… riposte…touché!" Claire was on the board 1-1. The fight was on.

A gritty battle ensued with Shar maintaining the edge, 10-9. If Shar scored the next touch, the bout would be over. The Andorian continued her aggressive tactics, but Claire had matched her. The two returned to their engarde lines. On the cue, Claire took the offensive. Momentarily startled, Shar searched for Claire's blade, but missed. The point of Claire's sabre landed on Shar's throat. The scoring machine chimed.

"Touche!" called the director.

At 10-10, the next touch would decide all. Claire's glove was soaked and she called for a time out to change gloves. Breathing heavily, she took another sip of StarAide. Back under control, Claire returned to the strip. Shar had removed her mask during the time out and as Claire returned, the two were trapped in a battle of wills. After an indeterminate amount of time locked in an intense stare, Claire broke off and raised her sabre to her lips. Shar smiled and returned the salute. Masks were donned again and the director cried, "Prêt…allez!"

Shar charged ahead. A quick head attack was met with a parry. Claire rotated her blade and sought Shar's head in return. This, in turn was parried and Shar brought the tip of her weapon around for a belly cut.

SMACK.

Claire winced as the blade struck her thigh. Too low, the touch was invalid in sabre. The fencers returned to engarde. Claire breathed deeply.

"Prêt…allez!"

This time, Claire leapt forward establishing the attack. Shar parried and set up a feint. Claire read the riposte and parried. She extended her point at Shar's face. Her opponent beat the blade aside and turned the edge of her blade at Claire's cheek.

Using her powerful legs, Claire leapt back out of Shar's reach. As Shar's blade cut through air, Claire brought the edge of her sabre down on Shar's hand.

Smack!

"Attaque…Countre-attaque…touché!" yelled the director, raising his hand at Claire. The bout was over. Shar and Claire threw off their masks. With tears in her eyes, the Andorian grasped Claire's hand and then gave her a hug. The two smiled momentarily before Shar turned away without a word and left the strip. Claire had made the finals.

The winded Claire received two minutes rest before facing Snurre. Although his uniform was pristine white, his blade showed uncounted nicks and dents from other duels. The undaunted midshipman stepped up and offered a salute to her counselor. Snurre nodded and returned the salute. Then he covered his scarred face with his mask.

Unfortunately, the finals were anticlimactic as Snurre dominated the bout. A quick 9-0 score ensued. The Jarl was masterful. He wore Claire down with relentless attacks until she made a mistake. If she attacked, he kept out of reach. His guard was impenetrable.

The young woman took a deep breath and returned to engarde position after the last touch. On the cue, Snurre made several probing attacks. Claire danced back and forth, awaiting the inevitable. Suddenly, Snurre pounced. Claire reacted to Snurre's extended arm and cut upward at his wrist. Smack! She then stepped back and parried his weapon with her bellegarde. She had scored a touch.

The Jarl raised his mask, eyes wide. He gave a smirk and a nod and then returned to the engarde line. Claire grinned inside her mask. Nothing mattered now; she had scored a point against the master.

GRADUATION MINUS 9 DAYS 

Josh sat on a bench in the garden as Claire passed by. "Hey Cee, I hear you scored one on the old man."

She grinned sheepishly. "It felt good. I'm going to beat him one day."

He brushed his blond hair back with his hand and nodded. "I have no doubt that you will. You're as stubborn as a mule. I can see him at one hundred and twenty years old and you at a hundred, with you chasing him down in a wheelchair."

Claire had a good laugh and gave Josh a friendly shove on the head. "You think you're so funny, huh?" she pouted.

Midshipman First Class Goldman had been a close friend of Claire's for three years, having met her in Survival Training I during their second year. Josh had been struggling to find food during the forest exercise and Claire had taught him how to find edible moss and berries. She had also saved his life during the Spring Survival Exercise when he almost drowned during the swimming portion.

Josh repaid the favor in spades during the academic classes. While Claire mastered the history, strategy, and operations courses, she struggled through physical science. This was Josh's specialty. Together, they had many friends, although most were Josh's friends. Among them was Ensign Chubb, a mixed Tellerite who looked like a teddy bear. Chubb had graduated last year and was posted to the USS SARATOGA along with other friends.

Josh had developed strong feelings for Claire and was disappointed when she began dating Midshipman Andrew Ruiz. Josh was of average height and slender of build. His physical skills were modest, but he never failed for lack of effort: perhaps only in this one case.

Josh continued, "You know, the postings are listed at the Learning Center board. I got physical science officer for the Prometheus." Claire's heart skipped a beat. She had requested the Endeavor, a _Nebula-Class_ Cruiser. This was her dream. Without another word to Josh, she raced to the Learning Center.

The line was long as cadets crowded in to see their postings. Each cadet's post was coded so that only he or she would know their next duty station. Initially excited, Claire spotted Andrew Ruiz in the crowd. They had had an intense two-year romance until Andrew left her for a Tellerite. Claire was crushed that she was dumped for a fat, furry thing named Bombo Jar. She blushed beet red as their eyes met. He quickly turned away. It would be a cold day in Hades before she could forgive him. If it was one thing Claire was known for it was that she could hold a grudge.

At the front of the line, Claire found her code. It couldn't be right: Starbase 259 – Admin Officer. Claire read it again to be sure. After four years of hard work, she was going to be stuck counting stembolts in some cargo bay. Trouble had been brewing again with the Cardassian Empire and everyone wanted a part of it. In shock and dismay, she wandered out of the crowd.

GRADUATION MINUS 1 DAY 

Claire sat despondent in her quarters. Over and over, she ran her fingers through her silky raven hair. Most of her classmates had received choice assignments. Shar was posted as a tactical officer aboard the USS VALIANT. Andrew was posted as an engineer aboard the USS EXETER. Even Bombo Jar received an Intell Officer slot aboard the USS LEXINGTON. All Claire could think about was sitting around while her compatriots made history. Her gray eyes misted up. _This was so unfair_, she thought. After all, her parents put so much faith in her.

GRADUATION DAY 

Downtrodden, but still proud, Claire dressed in her finest uniform. The cadets had gathered on the parade ground, while the faculty and staff mingled. When the time came, the cadets marched ceremoniously onto the grounds and the Superintendent gave his congratulatory speech. The austere moment was met with the news that limited hostilities had broken out between the United Federation of Planets and the Cardassian Empire. The young midshipman bowed her head knowing she would be on the sidelines. As the ceremony continued, there was talk of honor and service. Josh supportively grasped Claire lightly on the arm. She smiled without looking at him. Finally, the Superintendent awarded the deserving cadets with their ensign's pips.

Upon conclusion of the ceremony, farewells were said among the former cadets. Many newly commissioned ensigns had orders to depart immediately for duty. The fact that Claire had a week to sit around before departing made her feel unneeded. She slowly wandered off of the parade grounds to start packing her belongings.

At the entrance to the dorm, Josh nearly ran into Claire as he barreled through the door. He stopped. "Hey, sorry about your assignment, Cee. Tough break. If anyone can move on to bigger and better things, it's you. Hang in there." He embraced her warmly for a moment and then stepped back. "I gotta go, Cee. My shuttle leaves in twenty minutes." They gazed into each other's eyes briefly. She nodded silently and he turned away. Then, he sprinted down to the shuttle port and then looked back. It seemed like he wanted to say something. After some hesitation, he waved and then vanished into the building. She watched until he disappeared inside the shuttle port.

Shar was next. The blue Andorian shook Claire's hand firmly. "You and I will meet again. It is our fate." Claire didn't understand what Shar meant, but smiled wanly. Then, Shar too was gone. Twenty minutes later, Claire watched through her dorm window as a silver shuttle vaulted for the sky.

GRADUATION DAY PLUS 7 

At 1700 hrs, Claire and the few remaining "losers" made their way to the shuttle port. Bags in hand, she sat alone on a bench, lost in thought. Reports had been coming in regarding the conflict. The Federation battlecruiser USS BISMARCK had been stolen by unknown forces and the Cathedral Star Base had been destroyed. A massive hunt was underway to recover or destroy the battlecruiser. Claire sighed and checked the time. Her shuttle was still a half hour away.

With her head in her hands, Claire gazed at the ground. Suddenly, a pair of boots appeared before her. Looking up, she saw LT CDR Snurre. Confused, Claire furrowed her brow, but stood up to meet him. Holding his battered sabre, blade down, he offered her the grip. The ensign made no move. Snurre nodded. "Take it Ensign McGregor. I know you are unhappy with your assignment, but accept your situation as a test of character. I challenge you to succeed. I look forward to the next time we cross blades." Claire accepted the sabre. Releasing the blade, the Jarl left as suddenly as he had arrived.


	2. The Wild Blue Yonder

**OFF INTO THE WILD BLUE **

STARBASE 259 – 2364.12.25

Ensign Claire McGregor had been stationed at Starbase 259 for seven months now.Theborder incidentwith the Cardassian Empire had been concluded. On the bright side, the vast majority of her classmates had survived. Claire would only sigh when news reports came in detailing the conflict. _I've missed it all and I'm still counting stembolts in cargo bays_.

With her shift over, Claire sat in the base lounge and drank a glass of red wine. She thought to herself that even if this assignment was uninteresting, it was still important and she would do it right. To date, she had never made an error and had improved efficiency 40. Still, she had not smiled in some time and began to think about Josh. He had been in the thick of things and was awarded for valor. Shar too, had distinguished herself. Both classmates had sent brief messages encouraging Claire to 'hang in there'. She had even heard from the ever-optimistic Ensign Chubb. Occasionally, she caught herself thinking dark thoughts about her ex, Andrew. On a positive note, this assignment allowed her to hone her physical skills. She was considered deadly on the mat and could challenge any in Starfleet in phaser marksmanship. She had also devoted herself to piloting, another skill she excelled in.

As she inhaled the heady aroma of the Shiraz, Commander Torac Asiz sat next to her. He was her senior rater and supervised her boss, Lieutenant S'kler. Asiz had not spoken very often to Claire, so she was surprised to see him. As she set her glass down and stood up he raised his hand. "At ease, Ensign. Please sit down." Claire developed a knot in her stomach known as a 'cold prickly', as opposed to a warm fuzzy. He smiled gently. "Ensign, I wanted to express my appreciation for your work. You have been diligent and have never complained. I've seen your face when you get messages from your friends. I know you want to be out there."

Claire's eyes widened. _How did he know_?

CDR Asiz continued, "You have tremendous potential and your attention to detail is astounding. I just wanted to say that you won't be here forever. By the way, Happy Holidays." With that, he gave her a fatherly pat on the back and departed. Claire gulped down her wine and took a deep breath to stop her heart from pounding. She thought she was going to get chewed out.

Claire left the lounge and went for her obligatory workout. Feeling somehow energized, she ran eight miles and smeared Lieutenant Bentley all over the mat. The poor guy still had seam imprints on his face when they bowed, ending the match. Then, dropping her sweat-soaked gi, she hit the sonic shower. Claire felt the tension of the past flow out as the sonic vibrations pulsed. When she was finished, she hopped into fresh clothes and returned to her quarters. It was time to make a call. Claire verbally cued the comm system and a beautiful woman's face appeared on the screen. "Hi, mom…." she called out and the woman's expression instantly brightened.

**THE MCGREGOR HOME, HAMAMATSU, EARTH - 2359.12.25**

"Hi, Mom." Claire beamed as she hopped through the front door of the pagoda-like McGregor home. Sixteen-year-old Claire had just returned home from visiting Grandma McGregor in Virginia in the former United States. The McGregors had resided at that location in Fredericksburg for nearly five and a half centuries. Grandma had always lavished her attention on her grandchildren, Claire and Joseph, whenever they visited. During her stay, Claire was shown ancient photographs and paintings of long-dead relatives. Some were heroes, some were traitors, some were scientists, and others were statesmen.

The late Grandpa Owen Roger McGregor gave significant assistance to the development of matter-antimatter transport. He was considered to be a leading engineer in his day. Mitchell Douglas McGregor helped negotiate with the Centaurans to bring them into the Federation. There was a pilot who had been a war hero and tested many new aircraft. Matthew John McGregor graduated from the West Point Class of 1859. He chose to defend his native state when war broke out and was killed in a small town called Gettysburg in the summer of 1863. Andrew Kevin McGregor fought against his state and fledgling country and was captured fighting for General Cornwallis at Yorktown in 1781. He was later released and repatriated to England. Shamus Josiah McGregor died fighting for Bonnie Prince Charlie against the English. Grandma said the Clan McGregor could trace its roots back to the McGregors who helped bring Robert the Bruce to the Throne of Scotland.

Claire had never heard these stories before and was fascinated with her Grandma's tales. Grandma McGregor showed Claire an ancient Claymore that had been in the family for generations. There was also a stiff black sack belonging to Andrew McGregor and an old gray cavalry uniform with a hole where a sabre blade had passed through. Finally, she saw an sage flight suit and helmet. The helmet had the name 'Raven', printed on it: her ancestor's callsign. Claire had flown for some time, but this gave her something to dream about. Grandma McGregor was fiercely proud of their heritage and loved sharing it with Claire.

At the door, Claire's mother, Heather Anne, gave a smile to her daughter. She was usually quite reserved, given her half Vulcan blood. Born to Robert Stevens, a human warp field theorist, and T'fal, a Vulcan chemist, Heather had chosen the path of emotions. Although she kept in contact with her father, she had not spoken to her mother in over fifteen years. Her raven hair, slightly pointed ears, and arching eyebrows gave away her ancestry, but her quiet laughter and demure smile demonstrated her human half. Having no regrets, her belief in her decision was reinforced every time she saw her children. Her daughter had inherited her grace, strength, and character, but not her love of science. That went to her younger child, Joseph Alan.

Claire's father, Kevin Angus, greeted his daughter, too. Taking after his own father, Kevin was a brilliant engineer, having developed a number of tracking and targeting systems. Kevin was an avid golfer and highly encouraged Claire and Joseph to participate in sports. Kevin was always glad Claire inherited her mother's looks as he was sometimes embarrassed by his shocking red hair and freckles.

Thirteen-year old Joseph ran out with a PADD and gave it to Claire. "Hey, sis, you got a letter."

Mom and Dad smiled. "Go ahead, Claire, open it." Claire took the PADD and saw "UNITED FEDERATION OF PLANETS: STARFLEET ACADEMY." Claire's heart froze. She had been waiting for this. She had taken her examination this past summer: Dad had grilled her on the academics.

Claire activated the PADD. "GREETINGS, CLAIRE MCGREGOR. CONGRATULATIONS…" That was all she read before the hooting, hollering, and hugging began. It was a joyous Christmas.

**STARBASE 259 - 2365.02.03**

Commander Asiz handed young Ensign McGregor her performance evaluation on a PADD. As she read it he spoke, "As I said before, you are doing exceptional work. This came to the attention of a friend of mine back at the Academy. We call him the Jarl." Claire looked up with wide eyes. Asiz anticipated her question. "Yes, Olaf and I served on the _Nelson_. Tough SOB. Well, anyway, he seems to think highly of you and we've seen your pilot simulation scores. You're going to get a crack at flying. Your check ride is in two months. You think you'll be ready?"

Claire's jaw dropped. "Ummm, sure. I mean yes sir!" Claire stammered as she fumbled with her chair.

The Commander had been so kind. He stood and reached across the table and shook her hand. "Good luck."

Claire was an excellent pilot, but now she trained even harder. She had flown attack craft in the Academy and achieved the top score. She studied the flight manuals and regulations daily until she knew them by heart. Commander Asiz spent an hour a day, quizzing her on all manner of trivia. Two months later, she was finely honed.

**STARBASE 259 – 2365.04.10**

The day had come. Three pilots comprising the board awaited Claire in the conference room. A queasy feeling ran throughout her stomach. As she waited to be summoned by the board, Commander Asiz came by. "Claire, you're ready. Go knock 'em dead." She gave a weak smile in response. She twirled her bangs with a finger for a few minutes until the red light by the door blinked, signaling the board's readiness. Summoning her entire focus, Claire stood and strode confidently to the door. It opened at her approach with a whoosh and she entered. A silver-haired commander motioned for her to step in.

Claire took two steps and announced, "Ensign McGregor reporting as ordered, Sir."

The Commander motioned for her to sit. "I am Commander Petrov and this is Lieutenant Harris and Lieutenant Jae." Claire sat and nodded greetings to all.

Commander Petrov began, "Ensign, why do you wish to fly and what makes you think you will be good at it?" Claire knew this one inside and out and she let it out. She told them of her dream of flying and exploration. All three nodded and the two lieutenants smiled. Claire's confidence grew.

The technical questions followed and Claire's preparations had paid off. She answered every one knowledgeably and to the satisfaction of the board. She was on a roll.

Commander Petrov stood and nodded. "Ensign, your Q and A exceeded expectations. Now let us go to the simulator." The four stood and walked to the shuttle bay. The simulator was activated and set to level one. The fatherly Asiz stood nearby observing the examination. Claire entered the simulator and strapped in. Level One posed no problems. Commander Petrov declared, "Let's go to level five." The command was entered and Claire's simulated shuttle was confronted with an ion storm. Claire breathed deeply. She knew the checklist by heart. With sweaty palms and a determined look, she brought the shuttle into the hangar bay and shut down.

Petrov pulled Claire out of the simulator. "Welcome aboard. I will notify Command of your results and your transfer request will be approved."

Claire stood rigidly at attention and blurted, "Thank you sir!" The board members smartly turned and departed.

Asiz strode up and extended his hand. Claire shook it, but then gave him a hug. He returned a fatherly embrace.

Claire stepped back. "I won't forget you."

He grinned. "I know."

Several days later, the young ensign received a call in her quarters. Activating the console, Josh's face appeared. "Hey, Claire, I hear you made it in the big leagues now. I always had faith in you," he said proudly.

The pilot hopeful replied humbly, "News gets around fast. I haven't heard for sure yet. You know how these things are."

The blond young man came back. "No, this one's for sure."

Claire changed the subject. "So, what is the famous brain up to?"

Josh fidgeted a bit before answering telling Claire about a hostile alien they encountered and how they were lucky to survive.

Claire expressed horror at Josh's words. "Really? Well, thankfully you're all right. It seems like you've done some growing. Hopefully I'll be able to tell you some stories next time."

"I Look forward to it. I gotta go Claire. You take care."

Claire waved at the screen. "You too." Then the screen went blank.

**STARBASE 259 - 2365.05.17 – SHUTTLEBAY**

Claire's bags were packed once again. Her shuttle sat in the bay awaiting the rest of its passengers. On cue, Commander Asiz arrived to say farewell. With a phony frown he quipped, "You mean I haven't gotten rid of you yet?"

Claire stood up. "No sir, you're going to have to kick me off," she retorted.

Asiz continued the banter. "Well, then that's the way it will be. Pilot!" he called to the shuttle pilot.

The harried pilot looked over from the shuttle hatch. "Sir?"

"I'm going to need you to take this upstart ensign with you," Asiz commanded.

The pilot looked through the manifest. "Uhh, she's on the list sir."

Asiz turned back toward Claire. "You stay safe out there, Ensign. You owe me a tall cool one back at the Academy one day."

Claire shook his hand firmly. "It would be my pleasure, sir."

As the two stood on the deck, the pilot called out, "Departure in five minutes. All aboard."

Claire's eyes began to mist up. She wiped her nose with her sleeve and turned to go. At the hatch, she turned back. "Take care, sir," she said and then stepped into the shuttle. After stowing her gear, she sat down next to another passenger. A few minutes later, the shuttle flew out of the bay and on into another chapter of Claire's life.


	3. Rove Your Assigned Airspace

Writer's notes: I wrote this back in college so it might be a bit raw. I think I've done a bit of improvement since then.

**ROVE YOUR ASSIGNED AIRSPACE **

**NCC 21323. ATTACK CARRIER _USS NAPOLEON_ – 2365.06.01 0800 HRS – VFA 137 BRIEFING ROOM "THE WOLF'S DEN"**

The Attack Carrier _USS Napoleon_ was built on an _Nebula_-_Class Cruiser_ hull. The primary hull was circular in shape with a bulbous secondary hull holding up two warp nacelles. She mounted only four phaser banks, but held four torpedo tubes. What she lacked in firepower and shielding, she made up in striking power with three attack wings of fighters. The secondary hull mounted 36 launch tubes and a vast flight deck. The three squadrons aboard _Napoleon_ were VFA 137, VFA 175, and VFA 224. The squadrons flew the F-2 Attack Craft, a powerful one-man fighter with two phasers, one torpedo, and four sensor-homing missiles. It had a sleek design with a forked nose, where the phaser housings flanked the torpedo tube. The missiles were kept in a bay on the ventral side of the craft. Its fuselage was painted in characteristic Federation white.

Attached to the flight deck, the briefing rooms for the squadrons were located. VFA 137 had gathered for the Beta Shift briefing.

Claire sat nervously as the other pilots gathered in the briefing room. She had just come from Survival Section, where she had received her survival training and equipment. The old-timers walked right past her and the younger pilots eyed her arrogantly. "Newbie" they said under their breaths. Claire averted her gray eyes.

Commander Kent Yee, Callsign Yahoo, took the podium for the morning briefing. He was a slender man of average height, about forty-five years of age. His slightly graying hair lent a distinguished look to his weathered features. The XO, Lieutenant Commander Rachel Hood, Callsign Butter, called the room to attention, "On your feet," she bellowed.

The room came to attention. Commander Yee motioned everyone to sit, "Good morning. Today is just routine. We're going to fly a few basic fighter maneuvers. Nothing fancy. Oh, also, let's welcome our new pilot, Ensign McCoy."

Claire spoke up, "Uh, sir, that's McGregor."

Yee nodded dismissively, "Whatever, welcome aboard." There were a few waves from the crew. Claire felt herself blushing. Yee continued, "Ensign, your flying wing for 'Caveman'. Any questions? Ok, let's get out there. Prime frequency is Batman. Aux is Robin. Departure and approach are Penguin."

The pilots stood and began to head for the flight deck. Claire looked around, bewildered. Where did she need to go? Who was 'Caveman'? Lieutenant Commander Hood noticed that lost look in Claire and approached her, "Hey, ensign. You look lost."

Claire nodded bravely, "Yes, ma'am."

The XO continued, "You know, I got the same treatment when I was your age. Here, follow me."

The short, stocky XO led Claire onto the flight deck and showed Claire her craft. She also pointed to Lieutenant Horatio Kearn, aka Caveman. "Caveman, take care of her," called Hood. Kearn just looked over and smirked. He then went back to his checklist. Fortunately, Claire had studied hard and she could take it from here. She jumped into the cockpit and began reviewing the checklist.

Her crew chief, Chief Petty Officer Goha Tror, passed her a helmet and helped her secure her safety harness. CPO Tror pointed to the comm panel on the port side of the instrument panel, "I dialed in your frequencies, ma'am. You're all set. Have a good flight."

Claire smiled, "Thank you, chief." With that, she donned her helmet.

"Lobo One, clear for takeoff," called the controller.

"Roger, Baldwin. Lobo flight clear for takeoff."

The flight of eight shot out of their launch tubes into space and formed on Lobo One.

"Lobos, comm, Alpha, and system check," commanded One.

"Two, check," called Two, followed by Three through Seven.

Claire knew it was her turn, "Umm, Eight, check."

Kearn shot back, "Get it together, umm Eight."

"Knock off the chatter," ordered One. CDR Yee continued, "Ok, break off into pairs. Alternate set ups for offensive and defensive. On my mark, break. Three, two, one, break." The flight split four ways with leads and wings setting up for dogfights.

Caveman broke away from Claire suddenly. Was this part of the exercise, she wondered? Then, diving in from the starboard side, he fired his phasers on minimum setting, "Lobo Seven, guns kill."

Claire broke away too late, "Hey, I didn't know we had started yet," she said somewhat annoyed.

"Get used to it," retorted Caveman. Claire snap turned to give pursuit. She maneuvered into Kearn's port rear quarter. He rolled to port to shake her, but she anticipated the move. Then, he cut a –90-degree rollover only to be followed again.

Claire lined up her tracking system and let loose a burst. Direct hit. "Lobo Eight, guns kill."

"Whoa, the newbie scored a kill," an anonymous call came over the radio.

This wasn't over. Kearn continued to duck and dodge with Claire right behind him. She fired another burst. Direct hit. No one knew she was intimately familiar with the targeting system, as her father had designed it. "Lobo Eight, guns kill."

Caveman timed a snap turn to let Claire eat his guns in a forward pass. He fed extra warp energy into the thrusters and spun 160 degrees to port. He fired his phasers into space. Claire was gone. Suddenly an attack craft whizzed past with flashing phasers. "Lobo Eight, guns kill."

"What's wrong, Caveman? Sounds like you're getting waxed," the voice called again.

Caveman had had enough. He vectored his craft straight at the _Napoleon_ and her escorts _Murat_, _Ney_, and _Lannes_. Claire hesitated for a moment, but then leapt after Lobo Seven. As they closed on the fleet they heard a call, "Lobo Seven and Eight, boundary advisory. Vector Two Niner Zero." Seven pressed on. So did Claire. Caveman dodged between the nacelles of the _Murat_ and looked back to see Claire still there.

Lobo One had observed the party on the datalink. "Ok, knuckleheads. Knock it off, knock it off. Rejoin on me. We're done for the day…and you two, in my office when we get down!" The CO of the _Murat_ was screaming and he could be overheard on the radio as the controller hollered at Seven and Eight.

Claire's fun had suddenly turned into one of those cold pricklies. They had busted the safety boundaries. She guided her F-2 back to the roost and unbuckled her harness. Caveman was waiting, "This is your fault. You pushed me beyond the boundary!"

Claire leapt out of her cockpit, "What! That's a bunch of…"

A highly agitated LT CDR Hood grabbed them both. "CO wants to see you, NOW! Not Commander Yee…Captain Wallace." Both Horatio and Claire turned pale.

Standing outside Captain Wallace's office, the two were perspiring profusely. Commander Yee was inside talking. Shortly thereafter, Yee came out and motioned them in, "It's your turn." Both flyers entered and stood at attention.

The scowling CAPT Wallace jumped up and gave them a butt chewing they wouldn't forget. However, he gave special attention to Kearn, "You should know better! Just because she was kicking your butt, you thought you'd hide behind a starship. You know what could have happened? I oughtta make you scrub replicators! Captain R'tan is furious. He wants both your hides. I don't know why I talked him out of it! Get outta here!"

The two scrambled out of CAPT Wallace's office and went silently back to the briefing room. As Claire put away her gear, Caveman shot her an evil glare. Claire ignored it. Caveman then went to the men's locker room and Claire gave a sigh of relief. Lieutenant Mario Fararre, Callsign Rancho, who sat in the corner of the room, chuckled. Startled, Claire turned around, "I didn't see you," she said. Fararre smiled, "You were good today kid. You had him down cold. Don't worry too much about the butt chewing. We've all been there." Claire recognized the voice on the radio. Fararre came over and introduced himself.

Claire nodded shyly, but returned the smile. "Thank you," she said. Fararre's thick, handlebar mustache and goofy smile was infectious. His black hair was slicked back, adding to his olive complexion. He gave a curt bow and waved his hand. "Ciao," he said as he left.

Claire went to the female locker room. One of the pilots in the shower was a Mantoid with six limbs and faceted eyes. She/it also had a green carapace and antennae. Claire had never seen anything that weird and felt very sheltered. _This was going to be an interesting tour_, she thought.

**USS NAPOLEON - ENS MCGREGOR'S QUARTERS – 2365.06.30**

Claire had settled into somewhat of a routine. VFA 137 flew every other day. She was quickly developing into a superior pilot and could hold her own against nearly all of the others. She sensed that Caveman disliked her for that.

As she sat at her console checking her mail, she saw one message from her brother Joseph, whom she called 'Little Joe.' It had been nearly a year since she heard from Joe. Things had been tense between them since she left for the Academy. They had been close up until that time. Claire felt that the reason for Joe's feelings might be a resentment of her leaving Earth. He had little desire to live beyond the Sol System.

Reading the message, Claire learned that Joe was doing well at the Lunar Institute of Technology and would intern at Litton-Sedeco Shipbuilding at Pearl Harbor, Earth. Joe always had a way with science. _He certainly was the child their parents wanted_, Claire thought. She could imagine his red, wavy hair and boyish face. He took after their father, slender and tall. Even in mannerisms and temperament, he was his father's child: thoughtful and introspective. Claire was very much the opposite: fiery and passionate.

She fondly remembered a time back in 2355, soon after the McGregors had relocated to Hamamatsu, Earth. Their home was a quaint structure of wood and paper set on a hill. A stone wall surrounded the property, which was flanked by a lazy river.

Little Joe, then nine had trouble adjusting. Quiet and shy, he had been picked on by some of the school kids. Twelve-year-old Claire, always the protective one, took care of matters. Unbeknown to their parents, she confronted the bullies. A scuffle ensued and Claire was forced to make their leader eat dirt, literally. The kids learned that Claire, who had been involved in Aikido and Karate, was not someone to be trifled with on the playground and no one messed with Little Joe. With discipline, Claire learned gentility and grace along with strength. Just prior to her departure for the Academy, she reached her Shodan rank in Aikido. Sensei Yamada Tomoyuki awarded her the coveted black belt. He also gave her a samurai helmet, known as a Kabuto, to protect her hard head. She had excelled at the dojo, and her stubbornness drove her to even greater skill. Academically, however, she was much more modest. Little Joe saved her butt on more than a few finals. Between he and their father, Claire got more than enough tutoring to pass the Academy entrance exam. When Claire started dating and sneaking out of the house, Little Joe covered for her. He often devised elaborate ruses involving holograms of Claire with interactive voice recordings. They were a team.

**USS NAPOLEON - ATHLETIC GYM – 2365.08.27**

Claire was heavy into a game of Parises Squares with members of the squadron. She and Rancho were paired against Caveman and Werewolf, aka Lieutenant JG Todd Peralta. It was a good match and both teams fought hard. Claire and Rancho were slightly more in sync and they were able to score three quick points against their opponents. Caveman became visibly upset and spiked the ball. Rancho put his finger in Caveman's chest, "Chill out, man. It's just a game."

Caveman pushed Rancho's hand away, "Back off," he said as he threw the ball at Rancho.

Rancho caught the ball with a grunt and scowled at Caveman. He set up to pass the ball to Claire. Claire caught the ball and was immediately elbowed in the mouth by Caveman. She turned away, holding her jaw. Caveman stepped back saying, "She stepped into it." Claire's face turned red. She whirled back to face Caveman and was caught by Rancho.

He pointed at Caveman again, "That was uncalled for." He pulled Claire back, who was struggling to get free, "Don't do it, Claire. Let it go." Eventually, she calmed down. Lieutenant Farrare wiped the blood from her fat lip and escorted her down to the Sickbay. As the doctor passed a dermal regenerator over Claire's lip he asked, "So, how did you get this?"

Claire replied with gritted teeth, "The ball hit me."

With her lip healed, but her pride wounded, Claire followed Rancho to the evening briefing. When the pilots had taken their seats, she turned to face Caveman. Finding him, she fixed him with a menacing glare. He merely looked away. She thought to herself, _You just wait, bucko_.

In the ensuing weeks, Claire discovered that Josh's ship, the _USS Prometheus_ was beyond the range of subspace relays to transmit timely messages. He would be out of touch for a year, at least. Another letter advised that Mom and Dad were doing fine. It was tough now that both Claire and Joe were out of the house. Claire's childhood friend, Kimiko Nomura was now an intern at Asakaze Ordnance as an engineer. As always, Claire would receive a call from her friend Chubb, now a security officer aboard the _USS Saratoga_. The fuzzy face appeared with a smile and a mouthful of food, "Hey there. How's the food?"

"Oh, it's pretty good. We had a soufflé today with vanilla ice cream dessert," chuckled Claire.

"The one with the ground beans, I hope," added Chubb.

Claire nodded, "Of course. Hey are those lieutenant's bars I see?"

Chubb shrugged, "Oh yeah. We did some stuff with the _Bismarck_ and got attacked by bugs. Nothing special. More importantly, the Captain gave us fresh strawberries with whipped cream. You know those are my favorite. Don't forget to send me alien recipes."

Claire replied, "Did you get the Kriosan pot pie recipe?"

Chubb smacked his lips, "It was primo!"

Claire waved, "My time is up. See ya." Chubb waved back. Claire liked the furry guy, but he reminded her of that man-stealer, Bombo Jar. The bear-like Chubb was only part Tellerite and had a prodigious appetite. His love of culinary delights knew no bounds. Somehow, he always found time to call everyone he knew to share his joy of dining. Claire always wondered how he got into security, but she remembered him saying something about guarding the replicator.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.01.03 – 0735 HRS - VFA 137 BRIEFING ROOM "THE WOLF'S DEN"**

_USS Napoleon_ had been vectored near Asteroid Cluster 5392-S, near Tholian Space. _USS Saladin_ and _USS Attila_, destroyer-class vessels, were also dispatched to cover the carrier battle group. Several merchant vessels had been lost in what appeared to be a series of ambushes. As expected, the Tholians had denied any involvement in the attacks. However, a Tholian BLACK WIDOW-CLASS Cruiser was detected departing the area of one attack.

The flight crews had assembled in the briefing room. Scuttlebutt indicated that the Tholians were going to launch a surprise attack across the border. The xenophobic Tholians fought the Klingons to a standstill more than twenty years ago when Klingon aggression dominated the quadrant. Tholian hit and run attacks and unusual web-plasma technology baffled the invading Klingons, who eventually gave up the battle, claiming victory.

Commander Yee gave the background of the operation: three merchant vessels had been lost over a 12-day period. The diplomatic situation with the Tholians had deteriorated over this matter and the negotiators did not seem very hopeful. Today, they would be flying a simulated attack run against the fleet in preparation for any hostilities. After the briefing, LT CDR Hood approached Claire, "Hey, Ensign. I need you to research Tholian capabilities for tomorrows briefing. Commander Yee just appointed you squadron intell officer."

Claire nodded, "I'll have it ready ma'am."

The practice run went well. The Wolfpack penetrated the defense of the fleet and scored several hits on the carrier. Claire had performed exceptionally well, covering the attack run and knocking out four fighters from VFA 175. By now, she was considered to be one of the top five pilots aboard the _USS Napoleon_. She had continued to have sporadic problems with Lieutenant Kearn, but nothing so overt as the incident in the gym.

Upon completion of the practice run, Claire set to work on the Intelligence Briefing. She reviewed the incident between the _USS Enterprise_, NCC-1701, and the Tholians many years ago. Most of the information came from SIGINT sources along the border. Claire ran several programs on the various data she reviewed. Fortunately, the computer could do all the calculations for her. Claire then spent an hour rehearsing her briefing before she went to the workout room. A characteristic worrier, Claire spent hours rolling around in bed before falling asleep.

The morning briefing came too soon. Claire showered quickly and threw on her flight suit. She wolfed down a bagel and grabbed her report before heading to the briefing room. After the initial status report, Claire was called to the podium. Following the Starfleet briefing protocol, Claire presented her findings on Tholian capabilities. She covered weapons power output, sensor frequencies, and shield strength. When she was finished, Claire stepped back and asked if there were any questions. The CO raised his hand. Claire felt her chest flutter.

"If we run on low observable mode through the asteroids, how likely would we be detected?" he asked.

Claire brought up a schematic of the Cluster. "Good question. Based on the SIGINT data, it would not be likely. Tholian sensors are better than ours in asteroid fields, but they seem to have difficulty picking up fighter-sized craft in low observable mode. The Klingons made the mistake of assaulting the Tholians with capital ships in close formation. In the asteroid clusters, they lacked the room to maneuver and the Tholians had the advantage of earlier detection."

Yee asked another question, "Tell us more about Tholian web technology. Is this something we need to worry about?"

Claire nodded, "Yes, sir. It is. As far as we know, the Tholians need an anchor point to secure their webs, be it an asteroid or another ship. Once caught in the web, they can drain energy from your craft. During the Klingo-Tholian war, a K'TINGA-CLASS battlecruiser was caught and completely drained until life support failed. The bigger the Tholian vessel laying the web, the more plasma in can use in the web. How do we defeat this? We don't know. You just have to avoid it."

Yee nodded, "Ok, that's good. Let's suit up, we have a mission to fly."

As they departed for the flight deck, Rancho slapped Claire on the back, "Good job. This is your first live mission, huh? We're going to have to give you a callsign." Claire smiled as she picked up her helmet.

Claire walked onto the flight deck. CPO Tror greeted her, "How ya doin' ma'am?"

Claire returned the greeting, "Excellent G. How's our bird?"

CPO Tror waved his hand at the F-2. "She's doing good, ma'am. Will you be taking her for a spin?"

Claire nodded. "Indeed I will."

Tror handed her the PADD to sign for the craft. Tror motioned Claire over to the starboard side of the craft, "Ma'am, Lieutenant Farrare asked me to paint this for you. It's supposed to bring you good luck for your first mission." He pointed to an image painted on the craft, depicting a blonde woman in an archaic blue and white dress. In a scrolling print, the words, 'Claire in Wonderland' were painted on her fighter. Claire was speechless. Tror added, "Don't you worry, ma'am. You're going to do fine." They did a preflight check and all seemed well. Claire hopped into the cockpit and Tror helped he buckle in. CPO Tror was a true professional and Claire always took the opportunity to thank him.

"G, you are a true gem," Claire commented.

Tror blushed, "Doin' my job, ma'am." He handed her the flight plan and checklist and with a wave, she sealed the cockpit. Turning the master switch and comm panel on, she listened in on the radio chatter. The flight callsign was 'Jackal.' Claire received permission for engine start and the impulse engine roared to life. Communications, thrusters, weapons, and life support were all in the green.

CDR Yee gave the signal, "Jackal Flight, clear for takeoff." With that signal, the 12 fighters were hurled into space. Jackal Flight was split into three, four fighter elements: 1, 2, and 3. Claire was assigned Jackal 34 and flew wing for Caveman in Jackal 33. Rancho led the element in Jackal 31. The flight formed up on CDR Yee, Jackal 11, and they proceeded into the asteroid cluster. Assuming a loose nose to tail formation for easier maneuvering, they ventured further on.

Lieutenant JG Iridan in Jackal 24, Callsign Tank, indicated debris, "Jackal Two Four has debris on sensor. It appears to be Tholian in origin. I'm showing it to be leftovers from a small base station."

"This is Jackal One One. I don't think our merchants did this. Something fishy is going on. Switch into low observable mode." Yee replied. The flight powered down and reduced emissions, also known as EMCON Z. Claire followed Caveman at a 500-meter distance, using passive scanners. Small and large asteroids floated around in an eerie ballet. Her scope showed large pieces of debris from the base station. Her intell database confirmed this. It would have taken at least a cruiser-sized vessel to destroy such a base. Claire had to agree with the Commander, this was weird.

Jackal flight penetrated further into the asteroid cluster. Passive sensors continued to show no activity. As the flight passed a large asteroid, a Starfleet shuttle came into view. Scans showed that one life sign was aboard. Commander Yee maneuvered ahead, "This is Jackal One One. I'm moving to take a look. It might be a survivor from one of the merchants." Jackal 11 and 12 slid close to the shuttle.

"This is Jackal One One. I'm two hundred meters from the shuttle. It shows a registry from the SS _Dirg_. I think we can tow her in." As Yee activated his tractor beam and captured the shuttle, it detonated. The resulting explosion engulfed both Jackal 11 and 12 and tore Jackal 13 apart. Jackal 14 was struck by the shockwave and tumbled out of control.

LT CDR Hood in Jackal 21 immediately called out, "Jackal One One, respond!" Suddenly, phaser fire erupted around the flight. A passive mine also detonated. Jackal 32, aka Bolo, vanished.

Several snub nosed fighters appeared, leading a frigate-class vessel. Jackal 31 spoke out, "Crap, they're Orion."

Jackal 21 responded, "Cover fire, evasive pattern gamma." Claire switched to datalink mode and began looking for targets.

Jackal 33 leapt out after a target, "Three Four, this is Three Three, stay with me: I'm engaged offensive." Claire swept in behind Caveman, covering his six.

Mario, as Jackal 31 called out, "This is Three One, Bolo's gone. I need cover." Two Orion fighters had sandwiched him and he was in serious trouble. Claire saw this, but she couldn't leave her wingman. Her heart ached and she could only grit her teeth.

The battle was desperate, Jackal 21 had scored a kill, as did two others, but Jackal 24 took a direct hit from the frigate's disruptors and was destroyed. Lieutenant Commander Hood and Lieutenant JG Peralta snap turned and launched their torpedoes at the frigate. The first brought down the Orion's forward shield and the second smashed into the port nacelle. As the nacelle came apart, warp plasma began spewing into the surrounding space. The frigate lurched to port and began tumbling.

Caveman lit out after two fighters. He locked one up, "Jackal Three Three, fox two." A missile flew from Caveman's fighter. The Orion fighter erupted upon being hit, throwing debris everywhere. The second Orion fired phasers into a nearby asteroid, shattering it. Chunks of rock shot out in all directions. Claire rolled to starboard and hit full ventral thrusters. A five-meter rock glanced off of her shields. Kearn was not so lucky. Being fifty meters ahead of Claire, he had less time to react. A two-meter chunk impacted directly on his shield, crushing it. The rock shattered on the shield, but centimeter-sized fragments rained down on Jackal 33, punching tiny holes in the skin of the craft.

"This is Jackal Three Three. I'm hit. Impulse off line. Weapons twenty percent. I need cover," Caveman called desperately. Claire rolled inverted, looking for the bandit. She switched to active sensors and found him coming around to finish her wingman. Claire snapped off a missile on passive seeking mode as she had no time for a lock. The missile took the cue and slammed into the engine of the Orion fighter.

"Jackal Three Four. Fox two kill," she called. An immediate scan revealed no other bandits nearby. Claire then lit out to find Rancho, "Three Three, this is Three Four. I'll be back."

Rancho had destroyed one fighter, but was being peppered by the remaining two. From long-range, Claire locked on to one of the fighters. Its sensor-warning receiver must have given it warning as it began evasive maneuvers. Claire launched anyway, "Jackal Three Four. Fox one." The shot was a miss, but it distracted the attackers. Claire pushed to half impulse and dodged a rolling asteroid. Popping out from behind the rock, she fired phasers into one of the Orions, "Jackal Three Four. Guns kill." The other Orion lit out.

The Orions had retreated, but losses were heavy. VFA 175 was called in to help tow damaged fighters home. Commander Yee was dead as were four others. It was a quiet night in the galley as the Wolfpack licked their wounds. As the "pack" moped about, eating their chow, Horatio Kearn came up behind Claire. Gently, he tapped her on the shoulder. She turned slowly, but upon seeing him, she gave a defensive look. Kearn held up his right hand, "Hey, Claire. Umm, you saved my life. I've been really crappy to you and I'm sorry."

Claire went back and forth on stiffing him. She had a tough time letting go of animosities. After what seemed like an eternity, she shook his hand, "No sweat, Caveman. I'd save your butt anytime."

At that time, Rancho came up to the two, "Take a number Caveman, 'cause this one saved us both." He wrapped Claire up in a big bear hug and spun her around, which caught her by surprise. She let out a very uncharacteristic squeal. Mario put Claire down and looked at her sternly, "I did a little research and I have a callsign for you: Raven."

Claire blinked. "Where did you find out about that?" she asked.

He gave a wry smile. "I have my sources."

Claire gave him a playful push. "You talked to my Grandma, didn't you?"

Mario shook his head, while twirling his mustache with his fingers. "Sorry, top secret."


	4. Farewell and Adieu

**FAREWELL AND ADIEU**

USS NAPOLEON – 2366.01.06 – 0900 HRS 

The Memorial Service for the lost wolves was bitter. Many crewmembers were close with the fallen. During the eulogy, Claire cried like a baby. As she wiped her nose, Mario passed her a tissue. Claire sensed something in his manner, but passed it off to her emotional state. When the service had concluded, Claire walked around, chatting with the other squadron members, pilots and crew alike.

Claire was approached by the Mantoid pilot, "Greetings, I am Lieutenant Ccchhityruhj Kleeethyun, but you can call me Molly. You did well the other day. It prevented a greater loss," the green insect stated.

Claire was awed by her/it's faceted eyes and mandible jaw. Molly extended an odd, claw-like hand. Claire accepted, "Ummm, I'm glad we met. I've always wondered who you were."

Molly was from Gamma Hrujin IV and belonged to a race of sentient insects. She stood about five foot six on her six legs and ate stuff Claire couldn't begin to describe. Molly seemed friendly enough and they soon were talking about family. Molly was one of 100 hatchlings. Her parents ate a few of them, but the majority were able to pupate. Molly was very proud of her cocoon and hung it in her quarters. She always thought fondly of her days as a grub. Claire thought Molly looked kind of neat in a creepy sort a way.

"Would you like to see my cocoon sometime?" Molly asked sincerely.

Claire was a little nervous. "Uhh, sure. Maybe you'd like to see my Kabuto?" she added, referring to the gift from her sensei.

Molly chittered, "Maybe some other time. I'm full right now, but thanks for the offer." Claire looked perplexed. Culture was a difficult thing to communicate sometimes.

Later, back at her quarters, Claire thought of the death of her Grandfather MacGregor in Virginia. He was on a team that had been instrumental in developing matter-antimatter transport. She was eleven at the time and Little Joe was only eight. She remembered the service, with Grandma crying and the sound of bagpipes. Relatives from Edinburgh were there as well; all dressed in black. Afterward, there was something called a wake in which there was lots of eating and Uncle Angus MacGregor let her drink Scotch. Claire then thought of the dark days at the Academy after Andrew dumped her and the prodigious amounts of alcohol that she drank. She had been disciplined and may have even been expelled had it not been for Josh. Claire vaguely remembered the numerous times he kept her head from entering the toilet bowl after a bout with the bottle.

Claire dreamt of that day back in 2363, just after the start of their senior year. Things had not been going too well between she and Andrew. He had been spending more time away from her and she responded by becoming more possessive. They had had some arguments where Claire was accusatory. Finally, she confronted him at the reflecting pond, the site of their first romantic encounter.

"I just can't give you what you want," sighed Andrew, shaking his head.

Claire shrank back, "What do you mean by that? What kind of crap are you saying?" she shouted.

He put up his hands, "I'm sorry Claire. I can't do this anymore."

"Who are you seeing? Is it that Holly Jensen? That little minx!"

"No one," he insisted.

Furious, Claire got up in his face, "Don't you lie to me! We've been together too long!"

Caught, Andrew recoiled, "Okay, okay. It's Bombo."

Feeling like she had been struck by lightning, Claire's knees gave and she sank to the ground, "Wwaa, what? Bombo Jar…the Tellerite? Did I do something to make you hate me? Did I neglect you? Tell me!"

Her beau stood fast. He had decided his course of action for a week, "No, it's just the opposite, Claire. You're so controlling. You never listen to me. Bombo just let's me be me." With that he turned to leave, "I'm sorry Claire. We had some good times together. Really. You're so beautiful, but I can't be with you. You'll find someone who's right for you."

Claire sat on the ground in shock for nearly an hour. There were no tears, only disbelief. How dare he say she was controlling. She would MAKE him change his mind. Desolate, she thought about it for a while. Maybe she was controlling: she had even changed his major. But weren't they suppose to work things out. They had made dreams together. Claire picked up a stone and threw it into the reflecting pond. She stormed back to her quarters to change. There was a bottle of champagne that they had been saving for their graduation. She took a beautiful sabre off of the wall, a gift from her grandmother. With one stroke, she sliced the top off of the bottle and the frothing liquid spilled over onto the carpet. Taking a glass with the inscription, "Andrew and Claire", she consumed the entire bottle.

Then, she caught a cab into San Francisco. At the edge of the Golden Gate Bridge, Claire drank a bottle of Scotch she had bought at a liquor store. She was never much of a drinker and quickly became intoxicated. When she awoke the following day, her face was covered in dirt and her head ached.

Claire's dream ended as her alarm went off. While the dream was still fresh, she thought about those times and maybe it wasn't all Andrew's fault. She thought deeply back on how they met. It was during the warm summer of 2361, going into their sophomore year. Claire had met Andrew in the Physical Training IV Class at the end of their freshman year. The summer session left the campus relatively deserted as many cadets journeyed home. During a workout session at the mostly empty gym, Claire noticed Andrew checking her out. She had observed this during the last semester, but had been dating other cadets. They had been friendly, but not particularly close. During Claire's pull up set, she saw that he had a silly grin. After 18 pull ups, Claire dropped down and stomped over, "Okay, wiseguy, what's going on?" Claire had been known for her minor pranks and was not immune from retaliation. Even Andrew fell prey to the charcoal on the binoculars trick and the shaving cream in the shorts stunt.

"What? Me?" Andrew remarked innocently.

Claire raised an eyebrow, "Okay…see ya, Andrew," she replied with skepticism. Claire finished up with 150 pushups and then went to the locker room. While in the shower, she heard a noise in the room. Looking out of the stall, she noticed her towel was gone. Thinking she had forgotten it in her locker, she strolled back to her row. To her horror, her locker was open and all of her clothes were gone.

"That knucklehead!" she yelled. Frantically, she looked around. All the towels were gone too: that beat all. Water dripping from her body, she ran up to the door and peeked through. Sure enough, Andrew and five other cadets sat on lawn chairs with her clothes and the towels between them.

Seeing the door open a crack, they cheered, "Hey Claire, want a towel. You look a little wet. How about a drink," they shouted offering her a soda.

"You guys are going to get it!" she hollered, "Give me back my stuff!"

Andrew stood up and whirled her shirt around his head, "Come and get it." Claire blushed furiously. She had no choice.

A week later, she encountered Andrew in the chow hall. "So how's Lady Godiva doing?" he said jokingly. Claire just smiled and pointed her finger at him like a pistol and pulled the trigger. Andrew sat down with her, "Hey, sorry about that. I couldn't let you get away with the shaving cream thing." He then took a few bites of his kelp burger and his stomach rumbled. He stood up suddenly and ran for the bathroom, "Oh no," he yelled.

Claire chuckled, "Hey, no problem." The laxatives had done their work.

After Andrew had recovered, he took Claire out to an elegant dinner at Bella Rosa to call a truce. The candlelight and the minstrel band took Claire by surprise. On the shuttle ride back, he held her hand. They worked their way to the reflecting pond.

Then, the young ensign came back to reality. Sitting in her quarters, she shook off the warm feelings. She had hated Andrew for almost three years. It was part of her life.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.01.17 – 1700 HRS**

The presence of a carrier battle group convinced the Orions to depart the sector. Contact had been made with the Tholians to share information regarding the recent attacks. Through negotiations, a Tholian delegation was scheduled to arrive aboard the USS NAPOLEON. Captain Wallace had asked Molly to be present as she was familiar with the Tholians. Their species were very distantly related, however, the Tholians looked more like arachnids. Claire begged Molly to let her tag along, "I won't be any trouble," she added.

Molly nodded her insect head, "You need to dress up for the occasion."

At 1900 hrs the Starfleet delegation had assembled on the flight deck. Claire was in her finest uniform as was Molly. Molly's clothing had to be specifically tailored to fit her thorax and abdomen. On cue, an announcement came over the intercom, "The Tholian delegation is now landing." An unusual, teardrop, shaped craft entered the flight deck and set down. It was metallic red in color with a forward-facing canopy. Once the engines shut down, the shuttle door opened on the aft facing. Out stepped the Tholian delegation. They did look similar to Molly, but they were gray in color and had eight legs. Their heads were somewhat polygonal and their eyes glowed with a silvery light. They crawled over to the Starfleet delegation, which consisted of Captains Wallace, R'tan, Jellacic, and Stovani of the Battle Group. Commander Desree of the diplomatic corps was also present and, of course, Molly and Claire. CAPT Wallace saw Claire and gave her a slight smile. She had redeemed herself for her foolish stunt of breaking safety protocols.

Molly spoke a dialect of Tholian and made the introductions between the delegations. Defense Commander Yoruth of the Tholian Defense Force went through a complex greeting of his own. He inspected each member of the delegation with his strange, clawed appendage. When he got to Claire, she thought she was going to pass out. _This is totally creepy,_ she thought. He ran his spider-like hand over her face. Molly instructed, "Just stand there. He's introducing himself." Claire just nodded shakily. His eyes glowed intensely, giving her quite a chill. Then, he backed away and spoke to Molly. The universal translator turned Yoruth's words into language they could all understand.

"The Assembly thanks you for sharing the information regarding the Orion attacks. We, too, had assumed that the other was responsible for the destruction. It would have been regrettable if we had come to conflict over this," stated Yoruth. CAPT Wallace nodded in agreement. After some more elegant words, the Tholian delegation departed. Tholians were noted for their punctuality and brevity.

As Claire departed the flight deck, CPO Tror motioned her over to her craft, "Ma'am, I just wanted to show you this," he said. He pointed to the side of her cockpit, where two gold stars were painted. "Ma'am, we got our first kills. You done me proud," he said.

Claire beamed with delight. "Chief, I owe it all to you. Let me buy you a drink," she said, escorting him to the lounge.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.21 – 2200 HRS**

Quietly, the squadron had gathered in the lounge for an awards ceremony. A number of squadron members had received citations and awards, which were to be presented by Captain Wallace. Richly deserved, Lieutenant Commander Hood received a promotion to full commander. Even Claire was called. The Captain presented her with a certificate and a promotion to lieutenant junior grade. She blushed furiously, but accepted graciously.

Returning to her quarters, she examined her new rank in the mirror. She made sure it was polished to a brilliant shine. Just then, she got an outside call. Activating the intercom, she saw Chubb's furry face. He was covered in flour. "Hi ho!" he said, "I had a little baking problem."

Claire laughed, "I can see."

The furry guy blew flour into the air, "My strudel exploded and my pie fell. I'll just have to try again. I see you're still so skinny. Aren't they feeding you well?"

Claire nodded, "Very well. But you know me, I'm obsessed with working out."

Chubb smiled his goofy smile, "Me too, but only with running to the replicator. Ohh, I see you got promoted. You must be doing ok."

The new lieutenant nodded, "I'm doing well. Thanks for asking."

Claire had to ask, "Have you heard from Bombo?" There were some things she couldn't give up.

Chubb wrinkled his furry face, "Umm, yeah. She's like a distant cousin." He knew the score here. "You know, she broke up with Andrew."

"Hah, good for that slimeball… He got what's coming to him."

Her friend admonished her, "You know, all that being mad upsets the stomach. You should try to let this go." Chubb's words struck like lightning. For such a goofy guy, he could say some of the most profound things.

"Uhh, I'll have to think about that one, my friend. I have to go. You take care," Claire finished. Chubb waved a furry hand.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.25 – 0800 HRS - BRIDGE**

CAPT WALLACE, CO USS NAPOLEON, EYES ONLY

LT CDR ACHUA, INTELL OFFICER USS NAPOLEON, EYES ONLY

PRIORITY MESSAGE

SET COURSE FOR SECTOR FYH378, MELKOTIAN SPACE

STARFLEET INTELLIGENCE HAS DETERMINED THAT THE MELKOTS ARE EXPERIENCING AN INTERNAL DISTURBANCE, WHICH HAS GREAT POTENTIAL FOR INCLUDING FEDERATION ASSETS

THE MELKOTS ARE NON-COPOREAL ENTITIES, WHICH POSSESS GREAT PSIONIC POWER. THEY UTILIZE SEVERAL SUBJECT RACES TO PERFORM PHYSICAL TASKS AND TO CONDUCT HOSTILITIES. MELKOTIAN VESSEL STRENGTHS AND TECHNOLOGY ARE BELIEVED TO BE INFERIOR TO FEDERATION, HOWEVER, MELKOTIAN PSIONIC POWER IS KNOWN TO BE FORMIDABLE. DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE MELKOTS HAVE BEEN FAVORABLE UNTIL THIS TIME

ESTABLISH PERIMETER AT THE BORDER OF MELKOTIAN SPACE. DO NOT INTERVENE. YOU ARE AUTHORIZED TO TAKE ANY DEFENSIVE MEASURES TO ENSURE THE INTERGRITY OF FEDERATION SPACE

STARFLEET COMMAND, THIRD FLEET HQ

END MESSAGE

The Carrier Battle Group set course and jumped to warp. Preparations were made and training was enacted, focusing the group for their mission. Upon arrival, three days later, the group set up its perimeter. VF 137, along with the other squadrons set up a combat patrol, scouting the nearby system for signs of activity. Claire did some research on the Melkotians. They utilized mostly small craft, piloted by other races. The Federation had not had many encounters with their psionic abilities, but they were known to be formidable. Lieutenant Commander Achua had shared much of the information on the Melkotians with Claire and she briefed the squadron.

Two days passed without activity, then, a SIGINT report was received indicating the approach of a Melkotian fleet; four ships, possibly destroyer sized vessels. The path of the fleet would take into Federation space. VF 137 was scrambled to intercept.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.25 – 0800 HRS – BRIDGE**

Captain Wallace paced the area in front of his command chair. He was stocky and of average height with sandy brown and gray hair. The years of commanding a starship had added many wrinkles to his face. The fighters had been scrambled and all he could do is wait. Lieutenant Commander Achua analyzed the incoming data with SIGINT Officer Lieutenant Haley. Communications Officer Lieutenant Keropas turned to the Captain, "Sir, incoming message from the Melkotians."

Captain Wallace pointed to the screen, "Put it on."

A pair of eyes appeared amid a shimmering background, "Federation vessel. Four renegade Melkotian vessels are approaching our mutual border. We regret the inconvenience, but request that you direct them back into Melkotian space."

The Captain nodded, "I am Captain Wallace of the USS NAPOLEON. Your request concurs with my orders. We will gladly comply."

The Melkotian answered, "We send our thanks." The screen went blank.

"Relay this to Commander Hood; turn back the renegade vessels," commanded CAPT Wallace. Lieutenant Keropas complied.

Out at CAP Point Hotel, VF 137 circled, receiving the datalink from USS NAPOLEON. The four vessels were in bound at warp four and they would reach the border in approximately six minutes. Commander Hood relayed the message to the flight, callsign Sumo. The squadron would target the incoming vessels and fire torpedoes in their path to force them to drop out of warp. Claire, in Sumo 24, established a target lock on vessel three and waited.

Back on the Bridge, another incoming message was received. The incoming Melkotians had made contact. "Federation vessel. We are fleeing oppression. We officially request asylum," the Melkotian voiced in an eerie tone.

Captain Wallace sat down, "Damn, I knew it." Looking back up at the screen, he replied, "Negative. I have orders to turn you back at the border. Proceed no further."

"Then we will fight our way across. Move aside."

"Proceed no further or you will be fired upon," CAPT Wallace demanded. The screen went blank.

Tactical Officer Lieutenant Krasnowski advised, "Sir, they're powering weapons and shields. ETA three minutes."

Commander Hood could now distinguish a large, destroyer-sized vessel flanked by three patrol-sized ships. On cue, Hood gave the order to fire. Claire and Caveman unleashed their torpedoes. As expected, the ships dropped out of warp to avoid being hit. They performed a tactical split as VF 137 jumped in pursuit. The large vessel opened fire, hitting Sumo 33. Claire immediately launched all four of her missiles at vessel three in a spread. The ship executed a hard port turn avoiding one missile, but three slammed into its starboard side. Explosions erupted out of the ruptured hull as flames spread throughout the ship. Rancho also scored hits on vessel four. "Fox one kill on bandit three," Claire called out.

Suddenly, Claire began to feel woozy. She blinked as her vision became blurry. She tried to call out, but her mouth felt like it was full of cotton. Weakness set in and everything went black.


	5. Up Guards and At Em

Yes, I wrote this a while back and it's kinda corny, but hey.

**UP GUARDS AND AT EM **

**LOCATION UNKNOWN – STARDATE UNKNOWN**

Claire came to her senses with a start. Although her vision was still blurry, it was very bright and she could see daylight. She quickly looked around and saw horses. In fact, she was on one. _What the heck_, she thought. A large gray horse fidgeted beneath her. Fortunately, she had learned to ride as a child and still remembered how. Curiously, Claire was now dressed in a strange uniform, one with gray pants and a red tunic with gold braiding. She also felt a strange tall, fur cap on her head. She then noticed other members of the squadron looking around, obviously confused.

They were all grouped on a slope with hundreds of other riders. Down the slope they could see men in blue marching up the hill, carrying a red, white, and blue flag topped with a golden eagle. Suddenly, the sound of bugles and cannon were heard. Rancho rode clumsily up to Claire, "What's going on? Where are we?"

Claire's eyes grew large. "I have no idea. This must be some kind of illusion." Just then, 3,000 men in front of them stood up and fired muskets into the men in blue. These men wore red jackets and were led by a man in a black top hat. Dozens of men in blue fell. The man in the top hat yelled, "Charge! Hurrah!" and then was shot dead. Claire felt around her person and discovered an ancient pistol and a thick sabre. She also carried a buff-colored bag and a stiff black sack with the symbol of a crown and the number "2". Claire suddenly remembered seeing this item in her grandmother's home.

By now, the other members of the squadron had assembled and Commander Hood was trying her best to determine a course of action. Claire spoke up, "Ma'am, I don't know if this means anything, but my grandmother had one of these," she advised, holding up the sack.

"Well, what does that mean?" asked Hood impatiently.

Claire shrugged, "I don't know, but my ancestor, Andrew MacGregor was in the British Army. I remember he fought against the American Revolution and lost. He was captured and then released and exiled from America. He eventually died fighting against the French in eighteen fifteen. But other than that, I have no idea what this means."

Werewolf interjected, "So what? What are we going to do? Who are we supposed to be?"

Claire glanced down the slope and noticed that blue cavalry and infantry were moving toward the red-jacketed men. Artillery hammered them as well. From the hill, Claire could see ancient cannon belching flame. Commander Hood grabbed Claire by the arm, "You seem to be the only one with any grasp of this situation. What do you suggest we do?"

The lieutenant thought out loud, "You know, this sort of thing happened before when the USS ENTERPRISE encountered the Melkotians. They were placed at the O.K. Corral, which somehow related to Captain Kirk's history. It was some sort of judgment by the Melkotians. I don't know anything else beyond that or how they survived. I think this has something to do with my family's history."

It began to look as though the red-jacketed men would be overrun by the blue cavalry. A man rode up to Claire. He was dressed as they were, wearing a tall, fur cap, covered in black oilskin. He called out in a Scottish accent, "Major MacGregor, deploy in line. Now Scots Grays, follow me!" The mass of horses and men began to move down the slope. Commander Hood looked Claire in the eye, "What do we do?" Claire pointed forward, "I guess we follow?"

They rode hard down the slope at a group of blue cavalry. Those men had silver helmets and silver breastplates known as cuirasses. Claire got caught up in the charge and drew her sabre. The gray horses crashed into the disordered blue cavalry. Using the point of her blade, Claire pierced the neck of one trooper. Another swung at her overhead, but she parried it. This time, she drew her pistol and fired through the man's armor. Her comrades had hung back, but were now riding up to support her. Many blue cavalrymen were riding away and the Grays were in pursuit. Consumed by the fervor, Claire joined in. Rancho commented, "We're going to get ourselves killed." However, he rode on after her.

Next, a group of cannon lay before them. When they had closed to twenty meters, two guns fired. A dozen fist-sized balls flew from the muzzle of each cannon, tearing into the ranks of horses, but on they came. The gunners fled before the charge. The Grays were caught up into a frenzy and pressed onward. Rancho and the others began to worry: this was getting out of control. A distant bugle call sounded across the field and Werewolf noticed other red-coated cavalry returning to the slope, but they continued onward. Claire was busy, hacking about at the gunners along with the other cavalrymen. Observantly, Rancho pointed to a nearby concentration of blue cavalry that was advancing. It looked like four times their number.

"Hey, guys. I think we need to leave," he stated to CDR Hood.

She nodded distantly, watching the blue cavalry accelerate into a canter, "Uhhhm, yes. Go get Claire."

Rancho nodded, "On my way, Ma'am." He rode off with three others.

Claire looked up and saw the blue cavalry. They wore the helmet and cuirass like the others did. Additionally, there were men with odd upwardly flared hats and lances. Claire thought of her ancestor, "So, this is how he died." She realized that they were at the Battle of Waterloo when French cavalry decimated the 2nd Dragoons, known as the Scots Grays. Claire fell into deep thought and lost track of her surroundings. She was literally frozen. _This was where I'm going to die_, she thought. Completely engrossed, Claire failed to hear Rancho's desperate calls.

Nearby, a lancer had pinpointed Claire and braced for the charge. Claire just sat there in disbelief as her horse milled about. Mario drove his gray horse onward, still fifty meters away. The lancer yelled, "Vive La France. Vive L'Empereur." A split second later, the tip of the lance struck Claire in the chest. She flew back off her horse and tumbled to the ground with a thud. On her back, she could feel the blood on her chest where a broken wooden shaft protruded. Immediately, her breathing became difficult and she coughed up more blood. As she looked up at the sky, she could see Mario's dirty face. His voice sounded tinny as though it came through a tunnel.

She said softly to him, "You know…this isn't real. If this were real, I think I'd kiss you. If this were real, it would really hurt bad." Claire could now only see Rancho's mouth moving. She felt very tired. Claire then closed her eyes for what she thought might be the last time.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.26 – SICKBAY**

"Hey, she's moving!" a voice called out. Claire shuffled a bit. She was lying on her back. She tried to open her eyes, but it was too bright. Someone put a tube up to her lips and said, "Here, drink." She gulped down the water and then managed to get one eye open. After focusing, she could see, Mario, Horatio, and Molly in the room with Doctor Borisov.

Claire remarked, "I feel like crap."

Rancho commented, "We almost lost you. Just as you were going out, the mother ship was destroyed. Captain Wallace had you tractored into the shuttle bay. You were going into cardiac arrest. This is totally freaky, but we found this in your cockpit." He handed her a tall, fur cap. Claire also noticed the fuzzy Winnie the Pooh that secretly accompanied her on all her flights. Rancho laughed, "I didn't know you had a co-pilot. I'm jealous." Claire smiled weakly.

They explained to Claire how the Melkotians must have picked out something from her mind and played up on it. The USS ENTERPRISE crew was similarly affected years ago. It was only through Commander Spock's psionic abilities that they were saved. Claire replied slowly, "It's a good thing I don't have much of a mind or they would have really had stuff to mess us up with."

This elicited much laughter, but Doctor Borisov ended the mirth, "Ok, people. She needs to rest. Everybody out!" The three filed out, saying their good byes. Claire immediately fell asleep, Pooh slowly rising and falling on her chest.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.28 – SICKBAY**

"You are fit for duty, Lieutenant," said Doctor Borisov approvingly. He held a medical tricorder up to her, analyzing her vital functions.

Claire buttoned up her tunic and hopped off of the bed, "I could have told you that, Doc."

The Doctor wrinkled his nose, "It's a good thing you have such a thick skull." Claire gave a smile and waved to the Doctor as she departed. She hated sickbay.

She returned to her quarters and set her faithful bear on the bed. On her counter was the fur cap. _Too freaky_, she thought. Looking at the cap, she remembered the stories Grandma MacGregor had told. History was always a good subject with her and she was always curious about it. It was time to find out more. Claire brought up the communications panel and activated it, "Hello… Grandma MacGregor. It's me, Claire. Do you have some time?"

They talked for a while, before Claire had to go. Claire told her of her experience. Grandma acknowledged that Andrew MacGregor was killed by a French lancer during the Battle of Waterloo. Grandma agreed to send some items out to her along with her famous shortbread cookies. Claire told Grandma that she would be taking leave at the end of the year and would come to visit. Grandma was overjoyed. Claire waved and said that she would call again next month.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.02.28 – WORKOUT ROOM**

Dressed in her gi and black belt, Claire raised her wooden sword, known as a bokken. Since returning to duty, her focus was somewhat erratic. Even now, she had to repeat her set three times. Sensei would be very displeased. "Fuzzy head," he would say to her. Finishing her set, she took the seated seiza position to meditate. Concentrating on her breathing, Claire eliminated all other factors in life; at least for the moment. Rising again, she felt the energy return. The wooden blade flashed up and down with precision, until, with a shouted kiai, she delivered a crisp overhead cut. She reversed the blade, carrying it in her left hand, indicating that she was in a safe place. She remembered the difficult cultural lessons she had learned. Storing her gear, Claire wasn't done yet. She changed into her running gear and took on the treadmill. She had been struggling with sleep since her bout with death and this was her way of fighting it.

Molly caught up with her in the gym and wore her weird workout clothes. She had on these tiny shoes over four of her "feet" and socks up to the joints of her spindly legs. She even had a sweatband over her antennae. She groomed her wings with her mandibles before hopping on a treadmill. Her green carapace would click softly as she ran. The two chatted as they ran along. Molly commented about how she would return to her planet for the mating season and produce an egg sac for the next generation of hatchlings. Claire asked if Mantoids had special relationships. Molly replied that they did not. If fact, in ancient times, Mantoid females would bite the heads off of their mates. This was abolished when their civilization acquired laws. Claire commented, "You know, we could learn from your people."

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.03.22 – VF-137 BRIEFING ROOM**

Commander Hood took the podium and the room came to attention. She asked everyone to sit and then gave an announcement, "I am glad to announce the promotion of our beloved Mario Ferrare to Lieutenant Commander and as the new XO of the squadron." Rancho was as surprised as everyone else. He stood up and waved to the crowd as the group whistled and clapped. Molly buzzed her wings in approval. When the applause died down, CDR Hood continued, "Ok, now for the serious stuff. We've lost contact with the scientific research station on Ekos. Lieutenant Commander Achua will provide the details." She waved Achua up to the podium.

Achua was a soft-spoken man with dark skin and close cut hair. He was extremely professional, if somewhat stiff. Claire had worked with him on many occasions, preparing for intell briefings. Achua explained that a Federation cultural observer, John Gill had contaminated the culture of that system. In 2268, Starfleet discovered that violation and corrected that problem. In the last thirty years, the system had prospered, but there were always malcontents who embraced the violent ideology introduced by Gill. The station that was established on Ekos housed thirty Federation scientists, who were minimally armed. Achua added that the indigenous population possessed basic space travel capability and thermonuclear weapons. Atmospheric vehicles and personal weapons were on par with 21st Century Earth technology. Achua revealed that CAPT Wallace had proposed that a flight on six fighters escort a shuttle to Ekos to determine why contact had been lost with the station. "The shuttle will carry our social science officer and six other scientists. Three security men will join you," Achua instructed.

Commander Hood ordered Rancho to lead the flight. "Caveman, Werewolf, Gumby, Krypton, and Raven will join the flight," commanded Hood.

Claire looked around the room and saw two nervous-looking Ensigns in the back. It wasn't that long ago when she sat there, looking lost. That also meant that Claire was no longer the junior pilot. With Gumby, aka Ensign Susan O'Hara and Krpyton, aka Ensign Francois LaRue, joining the squadron, Claire could joyously pass off the duty roster and the leisure schedule to the "Newbies". Feeling some compassion, Claire approached the new pilots, "Hey you two, don't worry. You get over this lost feeling. I'm Claire, callsign Raven. I'll be flying with you. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask. Above all, don't take any flak from Caveman."

Claire suited up and did the walk through with CPO Tror. He showed her the new gold star. "Two more kills," he said, "and she'd be an ace." Claire signed for the craft and prepared to launch. After launch, they formed up on the shuttle and vectored to the Ekos System.

The flight, callsign Lifeline, jumped to warp. Rancho called out, "Lifeline One. Let's get this milk run over with." The rest of the flight checked in.

The flight was uneventful, and an hour later they dropped out of warp to enter the system. Initial scan showed space traffic. A small space station floated in orbit. Rancho advised, "We should make contact. Maybe they can tell us what's going on." He hailed the station. Werewolf scanned the station; Twelve shuttle-sized vessels were emerging.

"Space station. This is Federation Flight Lineline on a peaceful mission. Please respond," Rancho called. Just then, a rocket shot forth from the space station.

Werewolf called, "Incoming. Take evasive action. Shields!" The low yield nuclear rocket exploded within 300 meters of the flight. Claire's shields absorbed the blast and radiation, but her shields were down to 28. The shuttle was not so lucky. Its shields were overloaded and main power was off line. The shuttle tumbled toward the atmosphere.

Rancho ordered, "Five and Six, disrupt the incoming attack. Three and Four, hit the station. I'm after the shuttle." He then added, "USS NAPOLEON, mayday, we are under attack."

He and Gumby lit out after the out of control shuttle. Claire followed Caveman into the attacking craft. Their laser weapons were absorbed by the shields of the Federation fighters. Claire and Caveman tore through the formation, phasers rippling. Claire vaporized three while Caveman accounted for two. Emerging on the other side of the shattered formation, Claire called, "Lifeline Six, three guns kills. Call me ace." As she pulled up and set up for another pass, she noticed the port inertial dampener failing. _Dang_, she thought, as she would need to break off. She notified Caveman and they sped away from the frantic attackers. Claire scanned the area and noted the path taken by Rancho and the rest. Following through the atmosphere, they flew over a large continent where the shuttle had set down. Their scans could only pinpoint a twenty-kilometer radius where the landing site was. Claire's inertial dampener had failed and she would need to set down. Contacting Mario, she found suitable concealment where they could land.

**SURFACE OF PLANET EKOS – 2366.03.22**

Claire and Horatio set their craft down in the clearing of the forest. It would be difficult to find their craft as the woods were thick and they were at least twelve kilometers from any civilization. Claire unbuckled her safety harness and removed her helmet. She reasoned that she would need her survival gear and grabbed her flight bag. It contained rations, a light source, a homing beacon, compass, and of course, her stuffed bear. Caveman had scouted the clearing and told Claire it was secure. They both had Type II Hand Phasers, but no other weaponry except Caveman's hunting knife.

Claire called out on the communicator to any member of the flight. Her intell report indicated that the indigenous population would be unable to detect or interpret her transmission. She received a response from Werewolf, "This is Lifeline Three. I understand you are on the surface with battle damage. We have damaged the space station and are attempting to get a signal back to the NAPOLEON. Apparently we are being jammed. We have been unable to communicate with Rancho or the shuttle. I'm heading for the far side of the moon to try communications there. We are low observable, so it may take four hours to arrive. Call if you need assistance. Three out." Claire and Caveman were on their own for a while. USS NAPOLEON would not count them overdue for five days.

Claire and Horatio began walking toward the tricorder readings indicating the location of the shuttle. They had both put on camouflage face paint and vegetation on their green flight suits. Their clothing reduced both visual and infrared emissions, lowering the probability of their being detected. As they hiked along, they began chatting. Although their relationship had improved dramatically, they had never really spoken in depth. Horatio told Claire he grew up in London and that he was married and had a son. Claire expressed genuine surprise. He confessed that he thought she was kind of cocky at first and felt he had to put her in her place. Claire said that she had, "Felt the same way." Claire felt that he was a genuinely likeable guy once you got to know him. She found that they both liked fish, but he wasn't overly fond of sushi as Claire was. She also admitted that she wasn't that hot on Scottish food, which her grandma always cooked. Claire also brought up her friend Chubb, who was making a name for himself in the culinary arts. Claire actually found herself enjoying the conversation.

After an hour and a half, they came to a small town. Hiding on the outskirts, they made their way to the location of the shuttle. It had made an emergency landing two kilometers outside of town and was now heavily guarded. Trucks and light armored vehicles surrounded the shuttle. Looking through her digital binoculars, she could see gray and black uniformed troops as well. They appeared to be armed with archaic firearms. However, these could be just as deadly. Horatio noted that there was no sign of the shuttle crew. The two sat back down in the tall grass. Claire noted, "Commander Achua told me that the fascist government was overthrown back in Twenty Two Sixty Eight. However, it certainly looks like they're back."

Caveman nodded, "We'd better find our people, and fast."

Caveman scanned a nearby town with his tricorder and they worked their way in that direction. About a half hour later they spotted the road that led into town. There were two gray uniformed guards at a sentry post. The town was small, with a population of approximately 1000. Claire and Horatio circled the town to find an entry point. On the North side of town, they spotted a small group of people huddled in the bushes. Observing them for a few minutes, Claire felt that they, too, were hiding from the troops. It was decided that they would approach the group.

When they had moved to within ten meters, Caveman whispered out to them. They were startled and then cowered down. Claire assured them that they were friendly and approached the group. There was an old man, a pregnant woman, and several children. They had been out of town when fascists had taken control three days ago. The man, Lon, told of how the fascists had gained power within the government and then staged a coup. There had been twenty years of peace on the planet, but the fascists had always maintained an underground movement. He knew about the Federation scientists and told of how the fascists had captured them to prevent them from warning their people. Caveman asked if there were any secret ways into town. "We can use the water way," the man replied.

Caveman nodded, "Good. Show us." Lon led them to a manhole cover 300 meters North of the town. He told them which direction to head in order to enter the town and also mentioned the prison on the East side. Lon had some extra clothing and gave Claire and Horatio a baggy shirt and pants for each of them. They thanked him and gave him some of their rations. Then, they set off.

Lon's directions were right on cue. Using the tricorder, Caveman zeroed in on at least five Starfleet transponders. They were concentrated in one area corresponding to the location of the prison. Claire found a suitable manhole cover to make their egress and they emerged in an alley near the prison. Caveman took a few minutes to see what they were up against: twenty guards. Claire made a mock frown, "Hmmm, I've seen worse."

Caveman smirked, "Yeah, like when?"

The two scouted out the prison building. It was a one-story structure with no exterior windows. A front door and a rear door provided access to the building. There were four guards on the roof. Claire set her phaser to wide-angle stun as did Horatio. "So, what's the plan?" she asked Caveman.

"Umm, I suppose we take out the guys on the roof. We then cut through and free our people," he surmised.

"Sounds flaky, but I'm game," Claire responded. Claire and Caveman aimed their phasers at the guards from twenty meters. FLASH. The four guards dropped. They quickly scrambled over to the prison and Caveman gave Claire a boost up. She, in turn, pulled him up.

On the roof, Caveman scanned the building, while Claire covered him. "I've got them," advised Caveman. He began cutting into the roof with his phaser set to level 3. A seam appeared in the roof and he followed a square pattern to create a hole.

Suddenly, Claire heard one of the guard's radios crackle. "Krauss, respond!" sounded a male voice.

Claire thought, "Uh oh." She picked up the radio. It again sounded, "Krauss, respond! This is Manheim."

Claire turned to Caveman, "What do I do?" she asked.

"Keep them distracted. I'm almost through," her ordered. Claire waited.

Again the radio spoke, "Krauss, what's going on. Respond! This is Manheim."

Claire keyed the mike, "Uhhh, hi Manheim. How are you doing? We're fine here. Krauss is kinda busy. He's got the runs. Yeah."

"Who is this? Where is Krauss?" demanded the voice.

Claire thought for a second, "Yeah, umm, I'm Krauss' girlfriend. I'm just holding his radio." The voice demanded again, "Then let me speak to Helmut!"

"Whoa, ummm, Helmet, I mean Helmut is… is napping. Yeah, that's right," Claire said. She hated lying and was always very bad at it. She would suck as a spy. "Caveman, we got company!" she warned.

"I'm through!" he called.

Just then, ten guards scaled the roof, pointing submachine guns at them. They were had. The guards tied them and took their equipment. They were led into the cell where nine Starfleet personnel sat. Caveman shrugged, "Well, we tried." It looked as though the shuttle crew had been worked over. They were bruised and their tunics were torn.

Ten minutes later, four guards came for Caveman and Claire. They forcibly took them to another room. Claire looked at the chains and sharp instruments, "Oh boy. This is not good." A thick, spectacled man in a black uniform approached, carrying a baton. The guards chained the two to the wall.

The man struck Caveman in the ribs, "How many more of you are there?"

Caveman coughed, "What you see is what you get." The man laughed, "Well, we're just getting started." He walked over to Claire and pressed his baton into her throat until she started choking. Claire spit in his face. She then winced in anticipation of the coming blow. She was disappointed on that account when the whine of a transporter sounded and six Starfleet Marines appeared. Phaser blasts put all of the fascists down. They released the two, "We got the call from Werewolf. USS NAPOLEON is in orbit. We've been authorized by Starfleet Command to retake the planet and restore the proper government." Claire stepped up to the fallen fascist and smeared her boot on his face.


	6. Little Grass Shack

**LITTLE GRASS SHACK **

**SURFACE OF PLANET EKOS – 2366.03.26**

Starfleet had quickly retaken the planet. Fortunately, casualties on both sides were minimal. The fascists did not enjoy popular support on the planet and Starfleet technology made the task reasonably simple. Orbital phaser bombardment on stun setting from four starships pacified most fascist strongholds. Captain Wallace was not one to squander a huge advantage. Starfleet Command felt it had an obligation to this civilization since the serious cultural contamination years ago and as such, this did not constitute a violation of the Prime Directive. The Federation was not going to renege on that obligation now. Claire flew cover for the ground operations. It was pretty routine. Again, the technological advantage made any encounter seem like a Sopwith Camel challenging an F-22 fighter jet. Claire added three new gold stars from her orbital encounter. This made her an ace.

Federation scientists, peacekeepers and cultural observers arrived by the boatload to strengthen the reinstated civilian government. Back aboard the USS NAPOLEON, Claire received a package from her Grandmother. A letter was attached. Her grandmother expressed her pride and love and within the package was a small medal. It was shaped in a Maltese Cross and had the words, _Pour le Merite_. Claire's heart leapt. It was the famed Blue Max, awarded to exceptional aviators. The letter detailed how Charles Phillip MacGregor, flying a Spad XIII for the Lafayette Escadrille, had shot down a German pilot in 1917. He landed and removed the medal as a remembrance. He too was shot down the following year.

This letter warmed Claire, as did all of Grandma MacGregor's letters. Just then, Mario, Susan, and Francois stopped by. "Hey, Raven, how ya doin'," asked Susan. She was a petite blonde with blue eyes. Francois was a light-skinned Creole with short, curly hair and a slight accent.

"Come on in, I was just reading a letter from Grandma," she said, showing them the medal.

Only Rancho knew what it was, "Whoa, the Blue Max," he stated.

Claire nodded, "From nineteen seventeen," she acknowledged. Susan mentioned that she, too, had an ancestor who fought in the Great War.

Susan was from Dublin, Ireland, and her accent showed. "Raven, from the sound of your name, I'd say you were Scottish," added Susan.

"Well, I suppose. I certainly wasn't born there and have only been there twice. I was born on the Lunar Colony and really raised in Japan. So, I'm much more comfortable with Sushi than Haggis. Also, I'm a quarter Vulcan, but I don't like to talk about that," confessed Claire.

"Why not?" asked Francois.

Claire thought for a moment and then answered, "Hmmm, well… The Vulcans stiffed my mom because she married my dad, so I can't say I have much love for them. They're very impersonal. I try to get rowdy whenever I'm around them. It annoys them to no end. There was this one guy in my Academy Class, S'ran. Smart as heck. I'd never be able to carry his books. Well, I kicked his butt in physical combat and he got all huffy. So after that, whenever I put him down, I would pump my fist and yell 'ka ching'. So, he tells me that my emotions are out of control. He's got this typical Vulcan 'I'm better than you' smirk. Well, I kissed him full on. He just about threw a fit. I've always tried to live my life with as much emotion as possible."

Checking his watch, Mario tugged Claire by the arm, "Hey, let's go down to the lounge. It's karaoke night."

Claire blanched, "No way. You guys go. That stuff isn't for me."

Francois pleaded, "Come on Claire, we need a foursome." Mario put on his best sad puppy face.

Claire melted, "Okay, okay. Just one song." They towed the reluctant Claire down to the lounge and put their names on the karaoke list. When their names came up, Francois and Susan took the stage. They were phenomenal, with a unique charisma. The crowd went wild. Taking their bows, they gave the microphone to Claire. "Hey, I thought you guys were singing with me," she commented.

Mario pushed her on stage, "This one's all you." Claire stood with a blank expression on her face. The crowd was hushed. She quickly drank her glass of Pinot Grigio. The words to the song then began to scroll up the video screen. _What the heck_, she thought, and began to sing. She got going and let it all out. When the song was over, there were polite smiles and some nervous laughter from the audience. Claire stepped down, "How was I?" she asked.

Susan smiled, "You were ummm…loud. Yeah. You did good, really."

Mario added, "Hey Raven, don't quit your day job."

Claire smacked him on the arm, "Oh, gee thanks," she said. Although she was terrible, Claire had a good time and sang a couple more times. Francois described it as cats being trampled by dying sheep.

Later in the evening, Claire noticed a piano near the stage. Now there was something she wasn't totally lame in. During a break in the singing, she played a little improv jazz. Although certainly not a concert pianist, she was good. Mother had forced her to take lessons when she was a child. She hated the lessons, but loved playing. Francois took the cue and started a song. Claire immediately picked up on it and backed him up. The crowd got into it and sang along. When they were done, applause rang from the audience. Mario sidled up to the piano, "So, you're a woman of many talents. Just not singing." he commented.

Claire smiled, "I'm just a regular diva," she said, picking up the microphone.

Mario took the mike and put it back on the piano, "I think we've had enough arias from you tonight." There was a moment between them. Claire blinked.

"Well, it's getting late," she said, breaking the moment. She put her hand on his shoulder, but turned her head away, "Maybe it's time to turn in."

Mario coughed nervously, "Perhaps you're right. Well, I'll walk you back to your quarters."

Claire looked down, "I'm ok, but thanks for the offer. I'll see you tomorrow." With that, Claire walked away and out of the lounge.

Mario sat on the piano bench and scratched his head. "Women?" he thought to himself.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.04.02. **

The announcement in the morning briefing advised that the USS NAPOLEON was returning to homeport for service. This would give everyone in the Wolfpack a months leave. Claire contacted her parents to see if she could come home.

"Hi mom," Claire said over the communications panel.

Claire's mom waved, "How are things?" she asked.

"We're being given a months leave. I thought I'd come home and see you folks," Claire said hopefully.

"Wonderful. We're going to visit your brother at Pearl Harbor. Your father is anxious to see how well his internship is going. Why don't you join us there?" she said. Claire was a little nervous about seeing her brother. He had been a little cold since her departure for the Academy. However, she always wanted an opportunity to straighten things out with Little Joe.

"Great, I'll be there in a week. Where are you staying?"

Mom replied, "We'll be at the Sheraton. See you then." They both waved and then signed off.

Claire then went to the galley. On the way, she ran into Molly. "How are you, my friend?" asked Molly.

"Good. I'm going to visit my family back on Earth," Claire mentioned, "How about yourself?"

Molly shrugged her claws, "I don't have a family, really. On Gamma Hrujin, we separate the grubs shortly after birth, so I really don't have siblings. Maybe I'll just stay aboard the ship."

Claire replied, "Nonsense. Why don't you come with me? We'll have a great time. You can meet my family."

The giant mantis waved her antennae, "Well, you may not like me after I consumed them."

Claire did a double take, "No, not eat…meet my family."

Molly clicked her mandibles, "Really? That's so kind. I would love to join you." Molly invited her human friend to visit her quarters. Accepting, Claire stepped inside a bizarre room decorated with strange organic sacs and the remnants of Molly's cocoon. Molly pointed at the cocoon, "I'm very proud of this," she stated.

"I see. It's very impressive."

Afterward, they went to Claire's quarters. Molly was quite amazed at the trinkets and wall hangings. "This is truly bizarre. You don't keep your secretions?"

Claire's expression went blank, "Uhh, no. I think we like to throw that stuff away."

"Oh, what a waste."

Claire was both repulsed and fascinated by Molly's culture. It was truly something different. Claire picked up the medal from her grandma, "Would you like to see my Blue Max," she asked.

Molly cocked her insect head to one side, "I thought you humanoids keep those parts private."

Claire again did a double take, "What. Ummm. No. I mean yes, we keep our parts private. I was referring to this medal from my grandma."

The insect clicked her mandibles, "Oh, sorry. I misunderstood you. Yes, please let me see that."

Claire broke down and started laughing, "Oh, Molly. You are too funny." Molly just clicked an odd sound pattern. Claire guessed that this was the Mantoid way of laughing.

Molly did have some intuition regarding human culture. "Can we invite Commander Farrare? He has nowhere to go either."

Claire thought for a moment, "Well, I suppose. I don't think my parents will mind." She had been developing a sudden urge to keep Mario at arms length since the night at the lounge. Claire thought about it, but could not explain the feeling. Molly took Claire to the briefing room, where they found Mario. The mantis stepped forward and opened her wings as a sign of greeting to a superior.

"Commander Farrare, Claire wants to invite you to visit Earth with us. Won't you join us?" she asked.

Claire blushed, "Umm, yeah. What Molly said."

Rancho smirked, "Sounds good to me. Where are we going?" he asked Claire.

"We're going to visit my brother at Pearl Harbor. My parents will be there also. I'm sure they'd love to meet you."

Later, Mario ran into Werewolf in the lounge. Over some beers they talked shop about the squadron. After downing a glass, Werewolf commented, "So, what's up with Claire?"

Mario shrugged, "I don't know man. She's like mixed signals city. First, she's real friendly. Then, the other night in the lounge she's iced over. Now, she wants me to go on vacation with her. I don't get it."

Werewolf shook his head, "She strikes me as that type: hot and cold. She's a total babe, but you watch yourself."

Mario sighed, "Women?" upon which they raised their glasses and drank.

**PEARL HARBOR – 2366.04.09. – 1545 HRS**

The shuttle ride was entirely uneventful. Claire slept most of the journey. When the shuttle had powered down and opened the door, the passengers stepped out onto the walkway. The air was warm and humid. Claire scanned the terminal, spotting her parents and her brother. She ran headlong toward them and gave both her mom and dad a big hug. Joe extended his hand and Claire shook it. He gave her a weak smile. Mario noticed this and commented to Molly, "Something's up." Molly began searching the sky.

Claire introduced her friends. Her family was quite taken aback with Molly, but greeted her warmly. Dad took the opportunity to tell Claire how well Joe was doing at his internship. He was going to be a scientist like his dad. Together, they caught a cab down to Waikiki. The cabbie nearly fainted when a giant green insect handed him some luggage.

After arriving at the Sheraton, Claire, Mario, and Molly checked in. The two "ladies" would stay in one room and Mario in the other. The bellhop took their bags. Mom kissed her daughter on the forehead, "It's so good to see you Claire. We have reservations at the Banyan Bar tonight. We can catch up then." The trio went to their rooms to change and freshen up.

Claire threw open her suitcase and pulled out a swimsuit. She convinced her friends to come along. Molly put on the most comical outfit. The stretchy material covered her thorax and abdomen and was colored pink with yellow dots. The way Molly slid her six legs through the swimsuit was a minor miracle. The three ran down to the beach and plunged into the water. Claire swam a mile easily, taking some time to watch green sea turtles play. Mario followed a few minutes behind with Molly dogpaddling in the rear. Mario came up under Claire and hurled her up out of the water. She came down and wiped water from her eyes, "Ok, bucko. Don't make me hurt you," she threatened jokingly. A little wrestling match ensued until Molly caught up. They noticed that their friend had water wings over her claw-like forelimbs. This was too funny and they burst out laughing. Molly made her clicking noise indicating mirth. Together, they tread water until the sun set. Then, it was time to swim back and change for dinner.

That night, Claire wore a t-shirt and shorts, as did Mario. Molly wore her Tholian silk wrap with a floppy hat. The hat had holes for her antennae to poke through. They met the MacGregor family at the table and sat down together. Mom told them of the plans they had for the vacation. "We're going to see the Pali Lookout, the Arizona Memorial, the North Shore, and the Hula Festival and Luau." After they had toured the Island of Oahu, they would go to Maui. Claire agreed to come along. The last time the family was all together was six years ago, in 2307. Claire could tell that Little Joe was thinking the same thing, but no one mentioned it.

The group had a wonderful time, with each person telling their stories. Mom and Dad were fascinated with Molly and the mantis enjoyed being the center of attention. Mario revealed that he was born in Venice, Italy and that his late father had been a restaurant owner along the Grand Canal. He had been in Starfleet for eleven years and loved the travel. Dad told everyone, "Joe was the top scientist at his intern site. He beat out twelve hundred applicants for the honor of the internship." Claire was always proud of Little Joe and this only increased her pride in him.

With their meal finished, the great Mauna Kea dessert mountain arrived. A huge mountain of cake and ice cream, it was a meal in itself. Dad stood up, "Ok, watch this!" he exclaimed and the mountain erupted strawberry topping. Only the eruption got a little too vigorous and soon Dad and Claire were wiping gooey topping from their faces. The group erupted into laughter with Molly clicking and buzzing her wings. Mario wiped some of the topping from Claire's face with his finger and ate it. "Pretty tasty," he commented, raising an eyebrow.

"I remember you saying I was pretty sweet," she retorted. Claire's mom noticed this and elbowed Dad. Dad was too busy wiping his face with a towel to notice. Mom sighed. Men could be so oblivious.

After Mom, Dad, and Joe had departed, the trio sat at the bar and sipped some drinks. Mario noticed a fly in his beer. He was about to hail the bartender when Molly pointed to the fly, "Are you going to eat that?" she asked.

Mario passed her the beer, "Knock yourself out," he said. Intuitively, Molly could now feel vibrations between Claire and Mario.

"I think it's time for my rest cycle. I'm going to head back to the room to spin my hammock," she stated.

Claire raised her hand, "Hang on, I'll come with you," she called. Claire gave Mario a friendly pat on the back, "We'll see you tomorrow," she said. Mario grunted.

After they had left, he called the bartender, "Keep the Mai Tai's coming."

The next day's trip to the Pali was spectacular. It was the site where King Kamehameha conquered the Island of Oahu by driving the opposing army to their deaths over the cliff. Kamehameha had the advantage of British cannon and muskets as well as their wicked spears and shark-tooth clubs. The following day, the group traveled to the Arizona Memorial to pay homage to the fallen during the surprise attack in 1941. Claire and Mario laid a wreath in the water over the sunken battleship. They listened as "Taps" was played as it has been for nearly four centuries.

Later in the week, they went to the North Shore to see the Hula Festival and Luau. Dad wore his most outrageous aloha shirt and Mom was in a muumuu. The food was fantastic and Claire thought that Chubb would need to hear about this place. Claire had several servings of the rich coconut Jell-O known as haupia. Suddenly, a group of hula dancers emerged and approached their table. They beckoned them to come up to the stage. The group were all given hula skirts and given some basic instruction. Then, they were cut loose. Dad and Joe gyrated wildly like they were being attacked by bees. Mom was the most graceful of the bunch. Molly snapped her mantis forelimbs while wriggling her abdomen. Claire bumped hips with Mario, waving her hands in front of his face.

Later, the two walked down to the beach alone. Torches flickered in the moonlight as the waves crashed down upon the sand. They picked a soft spot and sat down. Looking up at the moon, Claire breathed deeply. She laid her head on Mario's shoulder. He put his arm around her and they sat for a while. Unexpectedly, she poured sand on his head. He made a "pfffft" sound, spitting out the sand and grabbed her by the wrists, "Ok, you little minx," he said. He pushed her back and they rolled together, face to face. Another moment had arrived.

After a few seconds, she turned her head away, "We'd better check on Molly," she said flatly.

Mario let her go and stood up, "Ok, what's going on, Claire?" he said angrily, "Why are you messing with me?"

Claire sat up and wrapped her arms around her knees. "I don't know what you're talking about," she lied. Claire hated lying and her gut ached. She knew exactly what he meant.

Mario kicked the sand, "You know exactly what I mean. You are one of the most introspective persons I know. Don't mess with me. You owe me that much. If you don't like me, fine. Just tell me."

Claire lowered her face into her knees. "You're right. I owe that to you. I'm just messed up. There was a guy I thought I would marry. He dumped me for a Tellerite. I'm still not over it," she confessed. After a moment of silence, she continued, "I'm really scared. I don't want to get hurt like that again."

Mario sighed. He then sat behind her and put his arms around her, "I wouldn't do that to you. We can go slowly. I'm not going anywhere," he said.

Claire grasped his arm. "I really want to trust you," she said hopefully.

Mario went out on a limb, "A Tellerite, huh? That guy had some lousy taste. You're better off without him," he joked. He dipped Claire back into the sand and again, they came face to face. This time she didn't look away.

Some time later, they walked back to the luau. Claire shook the sand from her hair. Mom saw the two approach the table and elbowed Dad again. He gave her a quizzical look and then greeted the two, "You're missing all the fun!" he called. Mom rolled her eyes. Men could be so oblivious. Meanwhile, Molly was heavily into her fifth bowl of poi. She really seemed to click with the gooey paste.

When they arrived back at the hotel, Claire and Mario sat by the pool. They made small talk, but seemed to dance around the main issue. Claire gazed at Mario, "Whatever happens, I'm going to be straight with you. Sometimes, I get really messed up inside. I guess you're just going to have to put up with me," she advised.

He replied, "Fair enough. I'm a patient guy. Just tell me what's going on."

Claire nodded. "I'm going to have to think about what happened. We'll talk again tomorrow," she said. Mario agreed. He walked Claire back to her room. They embraced for a few minutes before Claire broke off and entered her room.

Molly was fast asleep in her silk-spun hammock. She wore fluorescent yellow pajamas and a felt sleeping cap. Claire sat on her bed, "What am I doing?" she asked herself out loud.

The following day, Molly woke Claire up. "It is time for breakfast. You'd better get dressed," she said.

Claire buried her face in her pillow, "Molly, I'm totally messed up. What am I going to do?" she complained.

The mantis sat on the bed, "You do look rather messy, if I do say so. You can start with a shower." After pulling off the covers, Molly poked Claire's bare butt, "You humanoids are so soft. How do you survive without a carapace?" she commented, referring to her own hard shell.

Claire squirmed, "Hey, quit poking me," she whined.

Molly continued to poke her friend, "It's time to get up," she repeated.

Claire rolled over, "Okay, okay. You win," she cried, heading for the bathroom.

Molly sat watching a show while her friend got ready. Human shows were so entertaining. Gamma Hrujin shows were exceptionally boring. The most interesting station was the _Tube Worm Channel_; All the Tube Worms, All the time. Claire rambled on about her evening and her feelings. Molly would occasionally say, "Uh huh," but was entirely focused on a show about diving and surfing.

Struck with an idea, the mantis called down to the Concierge, "Hello. This is Molly. I'm in Room Twelve O' Eight. I want to sign up for the surfing and diving lesson. Yes, I can swim. Size of equipment? I don't know. How tall am I? About five foot six. Maybe one hundred and twenty pounds. Waist size? Maybe twenty four inches. I'm twenty four years of age. Oh, and I'll be bringing two or three friends. Thank you."

At the Concierge Desk, sat a young blond man with the look of a surfer dude. His buddy read a surf magazine nearby. The dude waved to his friend, "Hey, man. This one sounds like a real babe. What a voice. She's twenty-four, real slim, just the right height. She sounds like a real winner."

The friend replied, "Dude, is she bringing any friends?"

"You know it, man," the dude replied. With that, they gave each other a high five.

An hour later, Molly led Claire and Mario to the lobby. Joe decided to come along too. Joe approached the Concierge Desk, "Hi, we're here for the surfing and diving lesson," he said.

The dude looked up, "Ok, man. Like, where's Molly. I've been dying to meet her." Molly stepped forward and extended her claw. The dude fell over his chair. "Whoa, this is bogus. What's up with the bug?"

His buddy started laughing, "Dude!" he cried.

Molly was a little confused. "I'm Molly," she said, "Is there a problem?" The dude stopped. It was the same sweet voice. And yes, she was 5'6", 120 pounds with a 24" waist.

"Whoa, sorry. You caught me off guard. I was expecting someone else. Well, how about we get started? I'm Nathan and this is my partner George," he said, pointing to George.

Nathan and George fitted everyone with equipment and picked up surfboards. They headed for the beach. Up front, out of earshot, George whispered to Nathan, "Boy, she's hot. You two are going to hit it off."

Nathan whacked George, "Oh, shut up," he groaned. In sync, they looked at each other, "Now that Claire is something," they said in unison. Then, they high fived, "Dude!" they said.

Mario watched the exchange, but did not hear what was said, "Those guys are weird," he mentioned to Claire. She nodded in agreement.

Nathan and George gave basic lessons on surfing. Fortunately, the waves were small. Claire mastered the balance quickly and caught a few small waves. This was exhilarating. Mario caught the instructors checking Claire out. He paddled up to them. "Don't even think about it," he warned and then paddled away.

George looked at Nathan, "Dude, what a wipeout."

Nathan replied, "Totally wasted." Mario did have to admire Claire, however. Her washboard abs and finely toned muscles certainly attracted him as did her finely sculpted features and silky, raven hair. He saw Claire wipeout. He would have to swim to the rescue.

After they had had their fill, they suited up for some scuba diving. Molly did not need a mask as her eyes were covered with a film that kept water out. She did need a modified regulator, however, to fit her mandibles. Nathan and George led them out about a quarter mile on a surface swim. The group then began their descent. At fifty feet, they encountered moray eels, colorful prawns, and the famous green sea turtles. Claire pointed one out to Joe as it hovered nearby. They were having the time of their lives. When they got below 500 pounds of air, it was time to surface. The rich, blue Pacific Ocean greeted them in all its majesty.

The group made their surface swim back to shore and then exited the surf. Nathan and George gathered the equipment and carted it all back to storage. Mario saw Claire and Joe sitting together on the beach. He tapped Molly, "Let's help the guys store the gear." Molly nodded and hoisted a tank over her shoulder.

Claire and Joe looked off into the deep blue sea. "It's been a while, Little Joe," she said.

"Yeah, it has been," he replied offhandedly.

"Boy, you really grew up."

Joe pursed his lips, "Well, when you're not around, things change without you."

Claire knew this was the moment. "I know I haven't been around. It's not that I don't want to be with you, Mom, and Dad. I've got to follow my own path. You're the one with all the brains. I couldn't carry your beakers," she said. Joe sat there. "You make Mom and Dad proud. Above all, you make me proud. I'm just the eccentric daughter. I just want you all to be proud of me too and this is the only way I know how," she continued, filling the silence.

Joe nodded, "I am."

Claire furrowed her brows, "Am what?" she asked. "I am proud of you. Look at you; you're some ace now. You're out there saving the galaxy. How could I not be proud of you. It's just…why did you have to go so far away. You know, we were a team," he said quietly.

Claire smiled, "Little Joe and Antisocial Claire. Remember the time I took care of those bullies for you?"

Joe laughed, "How could I forget. And then they came after you, but I set up that doggie doo trap. I can still see those guys get sprayed."

Claire added, "I learned my pranks from the very best. How about the time when I was sneaking out to date that Kenji Takeda? Boy, he was the bomb. I was sure he was the one."

Joe was busting out by now, "I set up that holo projector in your room. Even Dad was fooled. What about that loser, Hiroshi Mukai?"

Claire slapped her thigh, "No, don't remind me. I can't believe you talked me into carrying that fart machine. I guess it did scare him off. But what nasty chemical did you use to make that smell? You know, you have gotten me out of more messes than I can count." By now, the two were in hysterics, slapping each other playfully.

Suddenly, Joe got serious. "You know Claire, I really miss you."

She agreed, "Me too. You know, I'm going to make you a promise. I'm going to come home at least once a year. I've stayed away too long."

Joe nodded slowly, "I think that sounds like a deal," he said. She hopped up and then pulled Joe up after her. They walked, arm in arm, back to the hotel. Claire's best buddy was back.

At the entrance to the storage room, Molly was chatting with Nathan and George. They were enthralled by her stories of travel and space. Nathan, eyes wide, tugged at his scraggly goatee, "You are one solid bug, Molly. You want to go out some time?" Molly agreed.

Claire and Joe looked at each other. "Some guys are just too desperate," they said in unison.


	7. The Minstel Boy to the War is Gone

I skip a chapter, but I wanted to get to this point. I wanted to get it a little more angstsy. I also want to throw in some Aikido for kicks. I'm going to fast forward after to a funky time/dimension piece that will be freaky.

**THE MINSTREL BOY TO THE WAR IS GONE**

**USS NAPOLEON – 2366.07.20.**

Claire's outstanding performance had placed her as the prime candidate for selection to the Space Conflict School (SCS). Although she was extremely pleased, she did not speak of it very often. Things were going very well with Mario and she kept in regular touch with her family. USS PROMETHEUS had returned from deep space exploration and she had received a message from Josh. He was glad to hear from her and how she had progressed in her career. He seemed a little mixed about the news of Claire's new relationship.

In the next two months, the Battle Group had again engaged Orion raiders. However, this time it was on Starfleet terms. The raiders were battered and fled before the onslaught of the group. Claire accounted for five victories, bringing her total to eleven. Celebrating in the lounge, Captain Wallace approached Claire, "Lieutenant, you've been waiting to hear this. You've been selected to attend the SCS." It was a joyous moment: one also fraught with trepidation. Claire knew well that the washout rate for the school was near thirty three percent.

"You will have six months to prepare," commented the Squadron CO. Commander Hood revealed that she was an honor graduate of the SCS, having ranked in the top five percent.

"Don't worry. I'll get you ready," she said.

Preparation for the school was exhaustive. Claire studied tactics manuals on the Klingons, Romulans, Orion, and Gorn. She analyzed intelligence documents on weapons, sensors, scanners, shields, and armor. Mario was extremely patient while Claire obsessed over passing. Butter advised, "The six-month school encompasses twelve to fourteen hour days, six days a week. Flight and fleet operations, as well as ground tactics are covered. Three failures during the course of the school constitutes a washout." Claire could not let that happen.

The newly promoted Senior Chief Petty Officer Tror gave Claire valuable instruction on fighter systems and maintenance, while Marine Master Sergeant Randy Martin gave her guidance in small unit tactics. Claire continued to train daily. At one point, Mario had to force Claire to take a break. Reluctantly, she accompanied him to the lounge. He was concerned about Claire's single-minded intensity. There were times when she could be distant when focused on a task. Claire admitted obsessing over this and let her guard down. It was time to start planning their trip to Earth.

**THE MACGREGOR HOME, FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA – 2366.12.25.**

As promised, Claire, Mario, and Molly returned to Earth for the Holidays. The clan had gathered at Grandma's home for the traditional dinner. The house on Hanover Street, near Marye's Heights, had stood for many centuries, albeit with numerous renovations. The red brick and mortar structure had endured shot from Colonial Militia seeking to remove British loyalists and cannon fire from Ambrose Burnside's Union Army of the Potomac seeking to invade Fredericksburg in December, 1862. Stonewall Jackson was reported to have stayed there.

Claire also invited Chubb to attend and Little Joe had brought a guest with him: a woman he was interning with named Kelly Omori. They seemed pretty serious. Grandma had cooked up a fabulous turkey and stuffing dinner. Relatives from around the world had gathered for the famous feast. During dinner, Chubb sampled each dish twice and gave them all his seal of approval. Molly particularly liked the cranberries and stuffing. She had a preference for things soft and mushy, as chewing wasn't her race's strong suit.

During the evening, Grandma MacGregor brought out a photo album. "Claire," she said, "you must see this. She opened up the book to a frayed black and white photograph of a family. In the photo was a young man, dressed in a gray uniform with a sabre. A young woman stood next to him. She was dressed in a frilly hoop skirt with a tiny hat and parasol. Claire was immediately struck with the fact that she and the woman could have been twins. Grandma revealed that the man was Matthew John MacGregor, a cavalryman in the 4th Virginia, Black Horse Brigade, Fitzhugh Lee's Division, under JEB Stuart of the Army of Northern Virginia. The woman was Mary Elizabeth MacGregor, his sister. She was only seventeen when the Yankees attacked Fredericksburg. She had fired muskets at the Yankees from her bedroom window, while her mother reloaded. She survived the war and eventually married Cyrus Dunmore of Richmond.

The next week, the group returned with Claire's parents to Hamamatsu to stay for a couple of weeks. On the first night there, they fired up the hot tub, known as a furo. Molly was a little sensitive to extremely hot water, so they kept the temperature fairly moderate. Basking in the warm water, they talked into the night.

Claire also took the opportunity to continue her aikido training. She had trained very hard during her time away through interactive simulations and partners. During her time back home, she would test for her nidan rank. She returned to the dojo of Yamada Sensei, a wood and paper structure in a bamboo forest. Modern lighting lined the path to the dojo, guiding Claire. Claire left her sandals facing outward at the door and then stepped in. She bowed toward the picture of O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido, hanging on the wall. The class was gathering and Yamada Sensei sat, seiza style at the head of the class. Claire bowed before Sensei, performing aisatsu, or asking permission to join the class. Sensei nodded without expression. She would be tested.

The class began and Sensei called out a series of exercises in Japanese. Claire spoke fluently and responded by partnering with a senior student to begin. Without being obvious, Sensei watched Claire, noting she had gained in skill. It was time to see what she had learned.

"MacGregor-kun," he called.

Claire bowed, "Onegaishimasu," she shouted, asking permission to be instructed.

She ran and knelt before Sensei, then rose and took a position of readiness. Sensei issued a command and Claire launched an attack. Sensei gracefully intercepted her wrist and inverted it. Claire went head over heals into the tatami mat. THUD! Using her free hand, Claire slapped the mat to break her fall. Still, the wooden floor covered in tatami was pretty hard. She blinked a couple of times. This hurt a heck of a lot more than the interactive simulation. Claire scrambled back up.

Sensei shouted another command and she again attacked. This time, Claire was able to seize Sensei's gi by the lapel. However, Sensei expertly took Claire's little finger and pried her hand off. Taking her hand, he maneuvered her into a sankyo hold, and then drove her into the ground; face first, with an urawaza move. Claire again reflexively slapped the mat with her free hand to keep her head from hitting first. Lying on her stomach, she could feel Sensei moving her arm straight up, behind her back. There was no escape. Twisting her arm into an unnatural position, Sensei slowly let his weight settle. The young student was very flexible and only the very best could pin her and get her to tap out. However, the weight of experience was against her and as she gritted her teeth, she tapped the mat with her free hand. Sensei released her. She quickly rose, facing him again. This time he nodded at her and motioned to her to sit. Another student would take his turn at being instructed.

When the class was over, Claire knew it was time to gather and enjoy conversation. She and another student went to the kitchen to retrieve snacks and sake. Claire returned and, with palms up and a bow, offered Sensei a cup and biscuits. After everyone had been served, Sensei raised his cup, as did everyone else. Claire had missed this nightly ritual. After three cups of sake, Claire felt very hot. Soon, she was laughing and singing badly with the other students.

Claire applied to take the nidan test and was accepted. The test was scheduled a day before her departure. Sempai Morita loaned Claire a cutting sword to practice. Traveling deep into the bamboo forest, Claire meditated in front of a waterfall. She drew the sword and examined the blade. The wavy hamon line marked the beginning of the cutting surface. Claire took a bamboo ladle and poured water over the blade, cleansing it. The water ran off into the pool, dripping like blood. Claire walked to a grove of bamboo trees and delivered a series of precise cuts, each one slicing through the trunk of a tree. Her focus was perfect for each cut and she then returned the blade to its scabbard.

As anticipated, Claire performed flawlessly on her examination. Announcing the results, Sensei held a black belt out to Claire, who knelt in acceptance. The belt was covered in gold embroidered characters, giving her name and rank. "Arigato gozaimasu!" Claire called, thanking him. Sempai Morita then ran back into Sensei's office. He returned with a long object wrapped in a silk bag. Bowing, he offered it to Sensei. Sensei slowly unwrapped the bag and pulled forth a katana, the long sword of the samurai. It was hand-forged by master craftsmen as a favor to the dojo and Sensei rewarded his best students, as did the daimyo of ancient Japan. With the point of the weapon up and the blade facing Sensei, he offered the katana to Claire. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she accepted. Backing away, she bowed, holding up the weapon parallel to the floor. No words were necessary: her gratitude was understood. Again in silence, she departed the dojo. It was a tradition here not to say goodbye, for it meant that she would surely return and Sensei would be there to greet her.

That night, snuggled up to Mario and Pooh, Claire dreamt of the Tengu, legendary creatures who were master swordsmen. They danced and laughed and played near a river. The morning came all too soon and the group packed to leave. During breakfast, Claire learned that Dad was planning to open his own company in a year or so. Claire gave a hug to her family before departing to the spaceport. Soon, they were headed back to duty.

The next three months were focused on intense training. Claire and Mario still made time to be together, however. As her school date drew closer, Claire realized that she was finally over Andrew. She and Mario talked of a future together and life after Starfleet. He mentioned children on occasion, but this made Claire uncomfortable. She was never a "kid" person. Mario, always patient, could wait. He had always wanted a big family. Claire said her collection of bears would suffice. They were "Low Maintenance." Despite this difference of opinion, Claire felt this was it.

**USS NAPOLEON – 2367.03.18. – VFA 137 BRIEFING ROOM**

It was a week prior to Claire's departure and today; she would fly her last active mission before departing. Captain Wallace wished her good luck and Commander Hood gave her a few words of advice. Mario, as the XO, approached her and stated, "As the XO of the squadron, all I have to say is…will you marry me?" He then presented her with a diamond ring. Claire blinked a couple of times and the room fell silent. She stared at the ring for several seconds, until Mario kneeled before her.

She then leapt into his arms, "Yes, of course!" she shouted. The cheers rang throughout the room.

That night, Claire had to share the good news. She called home, and her parents were overjoyed. Little Joe expressed his exuberance as well and Chubb would arrange the catering. Claire was nearly speechless for the rest of the night.

The week passed all too quickly and Claire waited to the last minute to pack. "I'll visit once a month until graduation," Mario promised. After all, the course was being held at the Third Fleet Academy on Enya. Their last night there was a memorable one and Claire found it difficult to depart in the morning. On the shuttle ride out, Claire positively glowed and could not stop examining every facet of her ring.

**THIRD FLEET ACADEMY. PLANET ENYA. 2367.03.26. SHUTTLE PORT.**

Claire was awoken by the intercom announcing their arrival on Enya. She swished her mouth with water and grabbed her items. Upon exiting the shuttle with other students, she was awed by the giant trees of the impregnable forest dubbed Mirkwood to honor a great novel written long ago. A trolley stood by to take them to the campus. The group quietly boarded the trolley and rode to the Main Administrative Building. There, the young woman received her quarters and went there to sleep. She loved flying, but hated being a passenger: it always wore her out.

Classes began immediately the following day. Claire called Mario to let him know how she was doing. "We have fifteen other individuals here, from Lieutenants Junior Grade to Lieutenant Commanders. They're from all races of the Federation, but they are supposed to be the best each ship has to offer." Admiral Gordon Chang welcomed the students to the Space Conflict School and introduced Captain Kelly Rosen and Commander Vasily Petrov as the School Administrators. Claire recognized Petrov as the one who tested her during her pilot board. He also noticed her and gave her a smile. Copious study materials were handed out, along with the demanding flight schedule. This was no cakewalk.

When the day was done, Claire met her suite mate, Lieutenant Anita Chavez, of the USS MACARTHUR. "So, who do think is the best?" asked Anita while they were grooming in the bathroom.

With youthful bravado, Claire answered, "I'd like to think it's me."

Anita smirked, "We'll see."

The faculty mercilessly threw the students into demanding and complex scenarios. "This is an expert level course. You must bring the necessary skills with you or you cannot hope to survive," they said continuously. Claire thrived on the pressure and immediately established herself as one of the best. Unfortunately, at the end of week two, LT JG Lopas Frar of Andoria was eliminated. Week three saw LT Harold Popodopoulis leave and week four claimed LT Berkar Kav of Tellar. That left 13 students by the end of the first month.

**THIRD FLEET ACADEMY. PLANET ENYA. 2367.04.26. **

Mario had come for his visit. Claire squealed with delight as her fiancé stepped out of the shuttle. She like the way that sounded. Surrounded by trees, the forest also amazed Mario, and Claire instructed that she would take him to all the best spots on the planet. She told him how difficult the missions were and that the academics were demanding. Fortunately, there was not much science. They flew mostly 4v4 to 8v8 scenarios, pressing the student's tactics to the limit. Commander Petrov was a hard taskmaster. He cut no one any slack. By the same token, if you flew well, he told you so.

Over the next two days, Claire took Mario on some fabulous exploratory hikes. Claire also showed him the giant spider sculptures that she was building to honor the name of the Mirkwood Forest, but more importantly, to scare joggers. The weekend went far too quickly and Claire bid Mario farewell for another month.

As Claire settled into a routine, she learned to relax a little. She was ranked number four, with Anita ranked third. Lieutenant Commander Thomas Jones was second with Lieutenant Commander Soval top gun so far. I'm a little irked that a Vulcan is leading the way, but it motivates me to press harder," Claire told Mario. Claire's academics lagged a bit behind her flying. She would have to ace both areas to be top gun.

At the end of the next month, Claire called back to Mario. "We lost Henry Adams. Our class is now down to twelve." As anticipated, their next two weeks would be geared toward ground operations. They would be introduced to small unit and marine tactics. Claire felt confident in her physical skills.

**THIRD FLEET ACADEMY. PLANET ENYA. 2367.05.27.**

Mario returned for his monthly visit. This time Claire took him to the great lake on Enya to do some diving. The water was magnificent and after a weekend of diving and lounging, they were spent. Claire later told him, "My spiders have worked out well. One jogger has already passed out."

Mario warned, "One day someone is going to play one on you."

Claire laughed cockily, "I'll be ready." Unfortunately, she would be grossly unprepared for the great cosmic joke yet to be played on her.

Mario again said his goodbyes and Claire returned to class. Lieutenant Colonel Oren Jacobs and Master Sergeant Horace Greer ran the ground operations class. This section was grueling, with full gear hikes and obstacle courses. Claire excelled here, gaining two points in standing. As a result, she moved to second in the competition. Lieutenant Commander Jones also took over first standing.

The next two weeks resumed the flying schedule. This time, Lieutenant George Ferguson fell from the ranks. However, they were coming down the home stretch. Claire now anxiously awaited Mario's arrival. This time, he brought her a giant Pooh. They sat in the forest and talked of the future. Mario said, "I'm willing to wait for children. After all, we have the rest of their lives to build a family."

Claire thought about it. "Maybe it won't be so bad after all. We'll talk more after graduation."

**THIRD FLEET ACADEMY. PLANET ENYA. 2367.09.20.**

The next three months had progressed well. "No more students were lost and I've held on to second place so far," Claire told Mario. Graduation was quickly approaching and her last chance for top gun would soon be here. She also looked forward to Mario joining her for the festivities.

The final week of the course encompassed the entirety of fleet actions. Although everyone had been in the groove, no one was immune to being washed out, even at this late stage. The pressure was still on. The fleet exercises were quite different from the previous training. "These scenarios will require visualizing the big picture," advised Commander Petrov.

The exercise was demanding and long. Although Claire performed extremely well, she could not overcome LT CDR Jones. His expertise was phenomenal and Claire offered him a sincere congratulations. He had won the SCS Trophy. She would receive honor graduate status, however, and her name would be inscribed in the halls of honor at the Academy. The night prior to graduation, Claire sat back and felt proud of what she had accomplished. One could be happy with second place.

Mario arrived for the graduation and it was a joyous moment. He feigned a little jealousy, having always wanted to attend this school. Claire soothed his wounded pride that evening with a massage. She was ready to go home, she informed Mario, but she wanted to stop off on Earth for a week. Mario would have to return to duty, but they would meet back aboard the NAPOLEON.

**THIRD FLEET ACADEMY. PLANET ENYA. 2367.09.28.**

The graduation was everything Claire imagined. Commander Petrov awarded the certificates and the coveted gold patch of the SCS graduates. Admiral Chang awarded the SCS Trophy to LT CDR Thomas. The dark-skinned Thomas was a model of quiet professionalism, never bragging and always humble. An added bonus for Claire was that she was promoted to Lieutenant.

Commander Petrov found Claire after the ceremony. He had also instructed Mario back at flight school. Shaking their hands, he told Claire, "I always knew that there was something about you when you took that test." Claire thanked him and they parted ways. Claire would soon take a shuttle to Earth. Meanwhile, Mario would return to the squadron.

**THE MACGREGOR HOME, FREDERICKSBURG, VIRGINIA – 2367.10.02.**

Claire had come to visit Grandma MacGregor after having competed in the All Starfleet Martial Arts Tournament. She had placed second in the female category, having lost in the finals to the Vulcan T'lar. At the awards ceremony, Claire quipped that she seemed to always be the bridesmaid and never the bride.

At the warm Fredericksburg home, Grandma MacGregor talked as she baked cookies. Claire was always such an attentive listener. Her favorite granddaughter had been kind enough to visit and drive her around to visit friends. Claire always enjoyed time with Grandma and never tired of hearing stories and looking at pictures. Again, she was drawn to the photo of Mary Elizabeth MacGregor taken in the summer of 1862. Who was this woman, she wondered. Claire read that Mary was engaged before the war, but her fiancé, Ian Andrews, was killed on September 17, 1862 at Sharpsburg, also known as the Battle of Antietam. However, she eventually married and had a family after the war, even caring for her brother's sons. She had even taught at a university, which was unusual for a woman of the time. Mary was known as a crusader for equal and civil rights and had the pleasure of voting before she died in 1927. Claire couldn't get over the resemblance this woman had with her. That night, she had a strange dream.

She was looking at the photo and suddenly there was a flash and a loud "poof". Claire blinked and saw a photographer with an archaic camera. He was holding a flash and was wearing a quaint outfit. She rubbed her eyes and saw men, women, and children standing about, dressed similarly. She was even dressed in a frilly hoop skirt. Her hands were covered in lace gloves and she was carrying a parasol. Without thinking, she said, "Well, Ah declare! Ah just hate those newfangled flashes." Claire stopped, noting her decidedly Virginian accent.

A man with a thick beard replied, "Come now, little Mary. You are a sensitive one. How are you ever going to get along with young Ian?"

Mary huffed, "Oh, Papa, don't be so cruel."

The vision faded and a new one appeared. Claire was at the window of Grandma's house carrying a musket. It was winter and the air was bitter cold. Men in blue were crossing the Rappahanock into Fredericksburg and others were advancing up the slope toward the house near Marye's Heights. The men in blue wore heavy greatcoats and carried a green flag with the symbol of a golden harp and the words 'Faugh A Ballagh', which Claire read as 'Clear the Way'. Green springs of boxwood were affixed to their blue kepis and they bent forward as is if walking into a storm. Bullets and shot occasionally passed through the house. Again, without thinking, she raised the musket and fired. A brown-haired man wearing a slouch hat fell. "Take that, you yellow-belly Yankee swine! That's for Ian," she yelled. An older woman handed her a loaded musket. To their right, men in gray stood from behind a stone wall and unleashed a storm of shot and shell. The men in blue reeled, but pressed on. Another volley was unleashed, but still the bluecoats advanced. Claire fired again, striking a man in the chest. Thirty yards from the wall, the bluecoats were stopped. Claire heard the men in gray cheer their enemy's bravery and the vision again faded.

This time, Claire was sitting with the same woman near the entrance to their house. A man in a dusty gray uniform rode up quickly. Dismounting, he removed his feathered cap and bowed deeply. He then removed a letter from his pouch and walked up the steps to the home.

The woman shrieked, "No, not Matthew, too. Not my baby boy!"

The man gently handed the letter to the woman, "Ma'am, Ah regret to inform you that your son, Matthew, was killed at Gettysburg. General Stuart himself commented on Matthew's bravery," he stated.

Suddenly, Claire woke up, covered in perspiration. Something was terribly wrong. Claire rushed downstairs and activated the communications panel over Grandma's sink. The screen showed a bleary-eyed Commander Hood. "Omigod, Claire," she said, "We were going to call you."

Claire choked, "What is it! Is anything wrong?"

Rachel raised her hand, "Claire, you need to sit down."

Claire interrupted, "No! Tell me. Where's Mario? Let me talk to him."

Rachel shook her head, "Claire, I'm sorry… Just stay where you are. We're going to send a shuttle for you."

Claire blinked slowly, "No, this is a joke, right? Let me talk to Mario!"

"Oh, God, Claire. He's gone. I'm so sorry," Rachel said gently.

Claire sank to the floor. She could distantly hear Commander Hood calling her until the line went dead. An hour later, Grandma found Claire still sitting at the base of the sink, curled up in the fetal position. It took another hour for her to find out what had happened.

By noon, Grandma had driven Claire to the shuttle port. Claire hopped a shuttle, ignoring Commander Hood's instructions. Three long days later, Claire returned to the NAPOLEON. The silence was deathly as Claire ran to CDR Hood's office. She barged into the office and dropped her bags. Rachel stood and approached Claire. They embraced and Claire was racked by sobs. She collapsed on the floor and they sat together in silence for some time. Rachel hummed softly to Claire until Claire asked, "How did it happen?"

Rachel replied, "It was an ambush by the Orions. He held them off while we regrouped. He was the bravest of the brave."

When Claire had regained her strength, she wandered in a daze to Mario's quarters. She ran into Caveman, who gave her a silent embrace. He too, was dumbstruck. He accompanied her to Mario's quarters, where some technicians were bagging his personal effects. Claire went berserk, drawing her phaser. Caveman had to hold her back until Commander Hood arrived. The Commander politely asked the technicians to leave, which they did. Claire sat on Mario's bed, "Please leave me alone for awhile," she asked. Although worried, they left.

After two days, Claire emerged. Seeing a security officer outside, she ordered, "No one goes in there but me." The look on her face convinced the security officer to comply. The following day, Claire returned to duty, but still refused to allow anyone into Mario's quarters. Although everyone offered condolences, she held them all at arms length. Even Molly couldn't get through.

Over the next two months, Claire's flying was excessively aggressive, even suicidal. She scored four kills against the Orions, even destroying an obviously disabled ship. It was time for CDR Hood to talk to her. Rachel was amazingly gentle. Always motherly toward Claire, she advised her to take time away from the squadron. They would always be here for her and she could always return. Rachel had also set up an appointment for Claire with the ship's counselor, Doctor Norman. Claire searched deep within herself to argue with Rachel, but found nothing. Rachel was right. Claire nodded quietly.

Claire's appointment was difficult. She was determined to destroy the entire Orion Syndicate herself and her anger became her driving force. Doctor Norman advised, "Claire, I've talked with Commander Hood. We think you need some time away. I have a friend aboard the USS PHOENIX, who told me there's an opening for a chief helmsman. I think that would be right up your alley. What do you think?"

Claire felt utterly defeated, "Yeah, whatever. When do I leave?"

Doctor Norman replied, "You have to want it Claire. I think it would be a good opportunity. I know you've always wanted to pilot a starship: Now's your chance. I'd like to refer you to Lieutenant Dudley, the counselor of the PHOENIX. She's very good."

Claire managed a weak smile, "Ok, I'd like that."

Claire returned to Mario's quarters, which had been untouched by anyone except her for two months. She slowly bagged all of his belongings. The entire squadron turned up to help. Claire thanked them and had items sent to the PHOENIX. She was Mario's only family and his things would go with her.

Susan took Claire's hand and began a song to honor Mario, "The minstrel boy to the war is gone, in the ranks of death you will find him; His father's sword he hath girded on, and his wild harp slung behind him…" The squadron joined in, but all Claire could do was squeeze Susan's hand tightly.

Then, one by one, they said goodbye. Molly made a strange squeaking noise, a sound of despair among her people. Even the ever-optimistic SCPO Tror was in tears. Claire returned to Earth one more time before transferring to the PHOENIX. Her family was heartbroken, but supportive. Mom sat with Claire on many nights and advised her to allow herself to grieve. Mom also said, "If it gets to be too painful, don't be afraid to use you Vulcan side. It does help." No mention was made of Joe's engagement.

Finally, Claire caught the shuttle to the PHOENIX. She checked in with security to activate her clearance. Robotically, she completed her in processing. A final note on her PADD indicated an appointment with Lieutenant Dudley. With a shrug, she wandered the halls until she found the Counselor's Office.

**USS PHOENIX – 2368.01.30. – LT DUDLEY'S OFFICE**

"Come in Lieutenant MacGregor," invited LT Dudley. Claire nodded and stood near a chair. LT Dudley invited her to sit, which Claire did, plopping into the chair. She sighed. "Why don't you call me Gwen," said Lieutenant Dudley, "Can I call you Claire?" Claire shrugged. Gwen had read the notes from Doctor Norman: this one was going to be tough. Their hour consisted of Gwen asking questions and Claire shrugging or giving monosyllabic grunts. Finally, Gwen asked, "What do you want?"

Claire replied bluntly, "To destroy the Orion Syndicate." Well, at least that was a full sentence.

"Is that all?" asked Claire.

Gwen nodded. Claire stood and left. The counselor sighed and shook her head. A minute later, Captain Talon Steele entered, "So do we have a problem child?" she asked.

Gwen pursed her lips, "I can't reveal any specifics, but she does have a lot of baggage. All I can say is that her fiancé was killed by Orion pirates. Her fitness reports are excellent and she's highly recommended."

Captain Steele pressed for more, "But can I rely on her and can she drive my ship?" she asked.

Gwen shrugged, "I don't know on the first and definitely yes on the second. All I know is that we should give her a chance."

The Captain nodded, "That's good enough for me," she stated and then departed.

10


End file.
